human
I have decided that I would take it, said she,
gpt
No, no! You are big enough to accept your own without conditions.
human
Oh--you won't argue with me about that, will you? Perhaps it is unreasonable, but I could never be satisfied to take it--and spend it for myself. I could never have any pleasure in it--never feel that it was really mine. So, she hurried on,
gpt
I thought that it would be nice to take it--and give it away.
human
Give it away!
gpt
Yes--give it to the State. I thought I should like to give it to--establish a reformatory.
human
No--no! came from him, explosively.
gpt
No! You must not think of such a thing.
human
Yes--I have quite made up my mind. When the idea came to me it was like an inspiration. It seemed to me the perfect use to make of this money. Don't you see?... And--
gpt
No, I don't see, he said sharply.
human
Why will you persist in thinking that there is something peculiar and unclean about this money?--some imagined taint upon your title to it? Don't you understand that it is yours in precisely the same definite and honest way that the money this office pays you--
gpt
Oh--surely it is all a question of feeling. And if I feel--
human
It is a question of fact, said Mr. Surface.
gpt
Listen to me. Suppose your father had put this money away for you somewhere, so that you knew nothing about it, hidden it, say, in a secret drawer somewhere about your house --didn't he know exactly the sort of places which fathers used to hide away money?--
human
Oh--perhaps not. How can I tell? But that case would--
gpt
Would be exactly like this one, he finished for her crisply.
human
The sole difference is that it happens to be my father who hid the money away instead of yours.
gpt
I am sorry, said she, constrainedly,
human
Then why on earth have you gone through the formality of consulting me, only to tell me--
gpt
Oh--because I thought it would be so nice if you would agree with me!
human
But I do not agree with you, he said, looking at her with frowning steadiness.
gpt
I do not. Nobody on earth would agree with you. Have you talked with your friends about this mad proposal? Have you--
human
None of them but you. I did not care to.