Mary Thinker
[Quickly getting in front of him; holding him back.]
What are you going to do?
John Thinker
Stop it, I tell you.... Tell the truth... stop that pretense....
[Moves towards the other room. As he does so,
Mary Speaker and John Speaker, for the first time become aware of John and
Mary Thinker, and shrink back in terror and alarm, clinging together, confused, convicted, abject, retreating, powerless;
Cousin Fanny leaps in front of John Thinker at same instant, and bars him back, saying:]
Cousin Fanny
Stop!
John Thinker
Why? I will stop this pretense... Why not?