Mrs. Whittaker [Obviously.] Oh, there yo...

Mrs. Whittaker [Obviously.] Oh, there you are, Marion.

Marion Father's intolerable.

Mrs. Whittaker What's the matter?

Marion He never loses an opportunity of jeering at me.

Mrs. Whittaker He's an exceedingly selfish man — he knows perfectly well how rushed and worried I am, and he never attempts to help. I found him in here, on the floor, with Larita.

Marion On the floor?

Mrs. Whittaker Yes; they'd been playing cards, and dropped them, or something.

Marion I wish Larita wouldn't slack about indoors all day. It isn't healthy.

Mrs. Whittaker [Seeing "Sodom and Gomorrah"] Whose is that book?

Marion Hers, of course.

Mrs. Whittaker Well, please take it up to her room. I don't like that kind of literature left in the hall — especially when there are young people about.

Marion You'd think she'd make some effort to adapt her- self to our ways, wouldn't you? Instead of…

Mrs. Whittaker Please don't let's discuss her, Marion; you know it upsets me — and Heaven knows I've got enough on my mind to-day.

Marion I should like to give her a little advice about things.

Mrs. Whittaker Do, dear ; but wait until after to-night — we don't want a scene.

Marion I don't think she'd cut up rough if I was tactful. You see, she doesn't quite understand

Mrs. Whittaker How can you expect her to?

Marion And father's always encouraging her, and saying ridiculous things, and making her laugh.

Mrs. Whittaker Your father has a certain horrible streak in him that nothing will eradicate — no one's more aware of that than I. It's caused me years of suffering.

Marion I know, mother.

Mrs. Whittaker Birds of a feather

Marion [Alarmed.] But I think Larita's all right — really, mother, don't you ? I mean..

Mrs. Whittaker My dear Marion, I flatter myself I'm a woman of the world. We have no proof of the sort of life Larita has led, and we don't want any proof — she is John's wife, and as long as he cares for her nothing can be done.

Marion What do you mean by "nothing can be done?"

Mrs. Whittaker This was never anything but a mad infatuation — and mad infatuations don't last.

Marion But, mother, he's married to her.

Mrs. Whittaker There is such a thing as divorce.

Marion I don't approve of divorce, and I never have.

Mrs. Whittaker Neither do I — but in a case like this it's rather different.

Marion I think she's fond of him, you know.

Mrs. Whittaker Time will show.

Noel Coward. Easy Virtue. Harper & Brothers, 1926. pp.115-119.