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ous bosh, I’m only humoring her as a friend  as her doctor  and why shouldn’t I have a talk with Gordon? a father owes something to his son he ought to advise him.

[Then alarmed]

But I was never going to meddle again

[Sternly]

I swore I’d never again meddle with human lives, Nina!

[Unheedingly]

You must keep him from ruining his life.

[Doggedly—struggling with himself]

I won’t touch a life that has more than one cell!

[Harshly]

And I wouldn’t help you in this, anyway! You’ve got to give up owning people, meddling in their lives as if you were God and had created them!

[Strangely forlorn]

I don’t know what you mean, Ned. Gordon is my son, isn’t he?

[With a sudden strange violence]

And mine! Mine, too!

[He stops himself]

[Thinking]

Shut up, you fool! is that the way to humor her?