JAMES. [Rising.] Excuse me, sir.
PETER. [Angrily.] Sit down. What do you know?
JAMES. Nothing, sir….
PETER. You must know something to speak in this manner.
JAMES. No, I don't. You're a great expert in your line, Mr. Grimm, and I have the greatest respect for your opinion; but you can't mate people as you'd graft tulips. And more than once, I've—I've caught her crying and I've thought perhaps …
PETER. [Pooh-poohing.] Crying? Of course! Was there ever a girl who didn't cry?… You amuse me … with your ideas of life…. Ha! Haven't I asked her why she was crying,—and hasn't she always said: "I don't know why—it's nothing." They love to cry. [Signs the last letter.] But that's what they all cry over—nothing. James, do you know how I happened to meet Katie? She was prescribed for me by Doctor MacPherson.
JAMES. [Taking the letter.] Prescribed?
PETER. As an antidote. I was growing to be a fussy bachelor, with queer notions. You are young, but see that you don't need the Doctor, James. Do you know how I was cured? I'll tell you. One day, when I had business in the city, the Doctor went with me, and before I knew what he was at—he had marched me into a home for babies…. Katie was nearest the door—the first one. Pinned over her crib was her name: "Catherine Staats, aged three months." She held out her little arms … so friendless—so pitiful—so alone—and I was done for. We brought her back home, the Doctor, a nurse and I. The first time I carried her up those stairs—all my fine bachelor's ideas went out of my head. I knew then that my theories were all humbug. I had missed the child in the house who was to teach me everything. I had missed many children in my house. From that day, I watched over her life. [Rising, pointing towards the head of the stairs.] James, I was born in this house—in the little room where I sleep; and her children shall one day play in the room in which I was born…. That's very pretty, eh? [Wipes his eyes, sentimentally.] I've always seen it that way.
JAMES. [Coolly.] Yes; it's very pretty if it turns out well.
PETER. How can it turn out otherwise?