amy o'connell. Well, if that's not an end in itself . . [With a touch of romantic piety.] I suppose there's the hereafter.
trebell. [Grimly material.] What, more developing! I watch people wasting time on themselves with amazement . . I refuse to look forward to wasting eternity.
amy o'connell. [Shaking her head.] You are very self-satisfied.
trebell. Not more so than any machine that runs smoothly. And I hope not self-conscious.
amy o'connell. [Rather attractively treating him as a child.] It would do you good to fall really desperately in love with me . . to give me the power to make you unhappy.
He suddenly becomes very definite.
trebell. At twenty-three I engaged myself to be married to a charming and virtuous fool. I broke it off.
amy o'connell. Did she mind much?
trebell. We both minded. But I had ideals of womanhood that I wouldn't sacrifice to any human being. Then I fell in with a woman who seduced me, and for a whole year led me the life of a French novel . . played about with my emotion as I had tortured that other poor girl's brains. Education you'd call it in the one case as I called it in the other. What a waste of time!
amy o'connell. And what has become of your ideal?