Page:Plays by Jacinto Benavente - Second series (IA playsbyjacintobe00bena).pdf/326

 in shame before her husband—she must always be right, always, not only because I love her as I should my own daughter, as I do myself, as I did her mother, but because my pride in my womanhood, amid all the inequalities which we suffer at the hands of men, admits of every inequality and will endure any humiliation save this—that they should ever have the right to say to one of us: Who are you to accuse me? Ah! Never that! Our burdens may be more onerous but we are stronger than you to bear them. You cannot say that we are equal, no, but we can say: We are not equal, it is true. We are better than you are.

. Isabel! Mother!…

. María Antonia!

. Ah! At last I can cry! At last I can tell you everything—yes, you, only you, my mother! For him I have only scorn and contempt, and I ignore him with silence.

. It does not matter. Remain silent, or indulge your contempt, as may prove convenient. It is my turn to speak.

. What have you done? What is it?

. Who cares what he says? My only regret is that he is not right when he says it.

. You hear her, Isabel. Where is her father? I have business with him. [To ] No, don't you go; apparently, you are one of the family. Besides, you are sufficiently intimate with a certain person to render it desirable that you be present. Where is her father?

. A proper person for you to consult. I shall talk with Isabel, and with no one else. Never let me see you again! You can tell my father whatever you like.

. I shall.