[_Very softly._] What do you mean?
BLANCHE. [_Desperately._] I mean to speak of anything except what is in
your thoughts at this moment! Help me not to forget that no matter what
he has done, Dick is still my husband.
WARDEN. You don't know all he has done!
BLANCHE. How not "all"? What else? Where is he?
[_With a sudden new alarm._
WARDEN. He has left you.
BLANCHE. [_Echoes._] Left me?--
WARDEN. Mason is searching for him. He left a note at your house which
Jess read; it was only one word "Good-by."
BLANCHE. [_Echoes again._] Good-by! [_Sleigh-bells are heard in the
distance, coming quickly nearer._] What does it mean? You're hiding
something from me! Tell me what else you know?
WARDEN. He left the house, but took something with him--something from a
drawer in his room.
BLANCHE. [_After a second's pause she whispers._] His pistol?
WARDEN. Yes.
BLANCHE. [_Aghast, still whispers._] Has he done it?
WARDEN. I don't know; I'm waiting word from Mason.
[_The sleigh-bells stop._
BLANCHE. [_Excited._] But we can't wait here doing nothing; we must go,
too!
WARDEN. Mason is doing all that can be done; we'd better wait here.
[_He takes her hand in sympathy, but without suggesting the passion of a
few moments before.
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