Mason
said he hadn't been able to manage it--to see you alone--and yet he
wanted _you only_ to examine these. They are private papers of Mr.
Hunter; he thought they ought not to be destroyed without being read,
and yet _he_ hesitated to read them. We thought that duty devolved best
upon _you_. [_He hands back the letter case._] Shall I wait and take
back the case to Mr. Mason with the papers you wish him to have?
BLANCHE. Oh, no, I will send them; I mustn't keep you while I read them.
I'm always taking more of your time than I ought.
WARDEN. [_Speaks with sincerity, but without any suggestion of
love-making._] But never as much as I want to give you! Don't forget,
Mrs. Sterling, what you promised me at your wedding,--that your
husband's best man should be your best friend.
BLANCHE. And nobody knows what it means to a woman, even a happily
married woman like me--[_This is spoken with a slight effort, as if she
is persuading herself that she is a happily married woman._]--to have an
honest friend like you. It's those people who have failed that say there
is no such thing as a platonic friendship.
WARDEN. We'll prove them wrong.
BLANCHE. We will. Good-by, and thank you.
WARDEN. And thank _you_! [_Starting to go, he turns.
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