You don't know how suspicious one gets!

Mary Speaker [Petting her.]

But suspicion never stays long in your good heart,
Cousin Fanny. There's no room for it there, I know. But don't you think you'd better go to bed now? Let me call the maid.

Cousin Fanny

[Rousing up in chair; suspicion and meanness all awake again.]

To bed? Why to bed? Why do you want to pack me off to bed? I know! I know why! You want me to go to bed so you two can talk about me. So you can talk me over! So you can speculate on how long I will live. I know you! I know what you talk about when I'm not around! I know what you've been waiting and hoping for the last ten years!

[Begins to cry.]

Well, you won't have long to wait now. The time's almost come! I feel it's almost here. You'll get the money soon enough!

Mary Speaker [Soothing her.]

There, there,
Cousin Fanny, don't go on like this!