Mrs. Ransome. The will of God?
Tanner. Mind you, I don’t say that it is, Mrs. Ransome, but it may very well be the Hand of the Almighty. Your daughter and her young man, as she has confessed herself, have tried to use the marriage ceremony—a holy ceremony, mind you—to cover up what they’ve done.
Mrs. Ransome. Oh, don’t talk like that before her, Mr. Tanner.
Tanner. I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to hurt her feelings. I’m sorry I can’t help you. It wouldn’t be right.
Mrs. Ransome. But they was goin’ to get married, sir. You got to take that into consideration. My girl ain’t naturally bad. It isn’t as though she’d pick up any feller that happened to come along. Hundreds and thousands do it, sir, indeed they do, and most of them much worse than she and him, poor fellow.
Tanner. Yes, there you are right. Thousands do do it, and I’ve been making a stand against it in this neighborhood for years. I may seem hard, Mrs. Ransome, but I’m trying my best to be fair. I sincerely believe that no minister of the Gospel should ever legalize or condone—er—misconduct—that is, before marriage.
Mrs. Ransome (Pleading hard). You can’t know what this means to us, sir—or you’d pity us, indeed you would. Her father’ll take on somethin’ dreadful when he hears about it. He’ll turn her out of the house, sir, as sure as can be. You know him, sir. You know he’s too good a Christian to let her stay here after she’s disgraced us all. And then, what’s to become of her? She’ll lose her job, and who’ll give her another—without a reference—an’ a baby to support? That’s how they get started on the streets, sir (Sobs), an’ you know it as well as I do.
Tanner. Yes, I know. I wish I could help you. It’s very distressing—but we all have to do our duty as we see it. But I do pity you, indeed I do. From the bottom of my heart. I’ll do anything I can for you—within reason.
Mrs. Ransome (Almost hysterical, dragging Janet from the side of the body). Janet, Janet! Ask him yourself. Ask him on your bended knees. Ask him to save us! (Janet attempts to return to side of the body.) Janet, do you want to ruin us? Can’t you speak to him? Can’t you ask him? (Mrs. Ransome breaks into sobs.)
Tanner. It is as I feared, Mrs. Ransome. Her heart is hardened.