I refuse to accept such a responsibility. Ryder--
WARDEN. [_Rises, interrupting her._] Ryder's word is given to be silent.
MISS GODESBY. Well, that's _his_ lookout.
WARDEN. You'll have many a heart wrench, I'll bet you! You'll have to
run across the results of the harm you do to Mrs. Sterling and Richard
day in and day out, year after year! I don't believe you realize what it
means! Why, I know _you_ can't bear to see a _dog_ suffer! I met you
last week on the street carrying a mangy, crippled brute of a little dog
in your arms, afraid lest he'd get into the hands of the
vivisectionists, and yet here you'll let a boy and his mother--
MISS GODESBY. [_Interrupts him, struggling against a tiny emotion which
he has stirred._] Stop Stop! I don't want you working on my feelings
that way.
[_She rises and turns from him_
WARDEN. [_Follows her._] I'm only knocking at the door of your heart.
And now because it's opened just a tiny way, you want to shut it in my
face again. Will you leave this woman's name fit for her to use? _Won't_
you make that boy's life worth living to him?
MISS GODESBY. [_After a moment's pause, looks straight into_ WARDEN'S
_face._] I'll tell you what I'll do. Get me some security, some sort of
indorsement of Sterling's note--
WARDEN.
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