Do you know , I 'm getting so I 'm actually afraid to leave them alone with that governess . She 's too romantic . I 'll wager she 's got a whole book full of ghost stories , superstitions , and yellow-journal horrors up her sleeve . And then you met Curt . Why did you elect to take up mining engineering at Cornell instead of a classical degree at the Yale of your fathers and brothers ? Because you had been reading Bret Harte in prep . school and mistaken him for a modern realist . You devoted four years to grooming yourself for another outcast of Poker Flat . Aha ! Now we come to the Missing Link ! And there you hope to dig up — our first ancestor ? And you were with him on that Asian plateau ? Yes , if you two want to work together , why just shoo me — I had forgotten — How old were they when —? Good heavens ! I think people are foolish to stand by such an oath as you took — forever .Children are a great comfort in one 's old age , I 've tritely found . A woman is as old as she looks . You 're not thirty yet . The past is never past for a dog with a bad name , eh , Lily ?If you want to reward me for my truthfulness , Mrs. Jayson , help me take the kids for an airing in the car . I know it 's an imposition but they 've grown to expect you .By Jove , I 'll have to run along . I 'll get them and then pick you up here . Is that all right ? She seems to get as much fun out of it as they do .Ah , Eddy discovered her behind the tree . Is n't he tickled now !Jove , what a hand she is with children ! You think so ? With everyone ? A mosquito is a ridiculous , amusing creature , seen under a microscope ; but when a swarm has been stinging you all night — You bet I do . Touch me anywhere and you 'll find a bite . This , my native town , did me the honor of devoting its entire leisure attention for years to stinging me to death . Et tu ! Your tone is sceptical . But I swear to you , Curt , I 'm an absolutely new man since my wife 's death , since I 've grown to love the children . Before that I hardly knew them . They were hers , not mine , it seemed .Now we 're the best of pals , and I 've commenced to appreciate life from a different angle . I 've found a career at last — the children — the finest career a man could have , I believe . But we 're wandering from the subject of Martha versus the mosquitoes . On the Asian expedition ? That 's not old — but it 's not young either , Curt . He — prevaricates , Mrs. Jayson . I got over as soon as I could .By Jove , old man , you look as though you 'd been through hell ! Buck up !How 's Martha ? You 're surely not worrying , are you ? Martha is so strong and healthy there 's no doubt of her pulling through in fine shape . I 've guessed you thought that . That 's why you have n't noticed me — or them — over here so much lately . I 'll confess that I felt you —And the infernal gossip — I 'll admit I thought that you — oh , damn this rotten town , anyway ! Deuce take it , Curt , what 's the matter with you ? I never thought you 'd turn morbid . Curt ! What , Curt ? Good God , you do n't mean you hate — Martha ? Curt ! Do n't you know you can n't talk like that — now — when — CURTIS —It has made us both suffer torments — not only now — every day , every hour , for months and months . Why should n't I hate it , eh ? Curt ! Ca n't you realize how horrible — Shut up ! You 're not yourself . Come , think for a moment . What would Martha feel if she heard you going on this way ? Why — it would kill her ! This is only your damned imagination . They put you out because you were in their way , that 's all . And as for Martha , she was probably suffering so much — You 're raving , damn it ! For God 's sake , do n't think about it ! It 's absurd — ridiculous ! Curt ! Damn it , man , do you know what you 're saying ?No , Curt , old boy , do stop talking . If you do n't I 'll send for a doctor , damned if I wo n't . That talk belongs in an asylum . God , man , can n't you realize this is your child — yours as well as hers ? Do you realize how contemptible this confession makes you out ?Why , if you had one trace of human kindness in you — one bit of unselfish love for your wife — one particle of pity for her suffering — Curt , for God 's sake , do n't return to that ! Why , good God , man — even now — while you 're speaking — do n't you realize what may be happening ? And you can talk as if you were wishing — For the love of God , if you have such thoughts , keep them to yourself . I wo n't listen ! You make me despise life ! There ! What did I tell you ? Run , you chump ! Pardon me , please . No , I quite agree with you . Curt , damn it , wake up ! Are you made of stone ? Has everything I 've said gone in one ear and out the other ? I know it 's hell for me to torment you at this particular time but it 's your own incredibly unreasonable actions that force me to . I know how terribly you must feel but — damn it , man , postpone this going away ! Face this situation like a man ! Be reconciled to your child , stay with him at least until you can make suitable arrangements — That 's your final answer , eh ? Well , I 'm through . I 've done all I could . If you want to play the brute — to forget all that was most dear in the world to Martha — to go your own damn selfish way — well , there 's nothing more to be said . You will be punished for it , believe me !And I — I want you to understand that all friendship ceases between us from this day . You are not the Curt I thought I knew — and I have nothing but a feeling of repulsion — good-by . Curt ! Forgive me ! I ought to know better . This is n't you . You 'll come to yourself when you 've had time to think it over . The memory of Martha — she 'll tell you what you must do .Good-by , old scout !