[_She speaks these lines with a cunning leer, and John Thinker, nudging Mary Thinker and pointing to her, says:_]
John Thinker The old cat is capable of it, too!
If you should leave your money to charity, Cousin Fanny, you would find it made no difference with us. You know blood is thicker than water, Cousin Fanny!
Come, come, you don't doubt the genuineness of our affection, do you, Cousin Fanny? You've known me from my boyhood, Cousin Fanny, and you've lived with us for ten years. You ought to know us by this time! You ought to know us in ten years!
[_Who has taken her hand again, and has been patting it as a continuation of his last speech, and looking at her fondly_.]
You trust us, don't you, Cousin Fanny? You really are sure of our affection, aren't you?
[_To John Speaker. She shows that she really is willing to be convinced; she searches their faces wistfully; she is pathetically eager._ ]
John, John, you really _do_ care for me, don't you? [_She takes a hand of each._]
It isn't _all_ on account of my money, is it? If you knew I hadn't a cent, you'd still be good to me, wouldn't you?
John Speaker and Mary Speaker [_Together._]
If I lost it all; if I told you I'd lost it all, you'd be just the same, wouldn't you?
[_John Speaker and Mary Speaker exchange glances over her head, and John Speaker drops her hand, while John Thinker grabs Mary Thinker excitedly by the arm and says quickly_:]
My God, you don't suppose she's really _lost_ it, do you?
No! This is just one of her cunning spells now. She can be as crafty as a witch.
If I hadn't a cent you'd still care for me, wouldn't you, Mary?
But I'm hard on you at times. I'm unjust. I don't mean to be spiteful, but I _am_ spiteful. When we get old we get suspicious of people. We get suspicious of everybody. And suspicion makes us spiteful and unjust. I know I'm not easy to live with, Mary.
You get such strange notions, Cousin Fanny!
Tell me the truth, Mary. You find me a trial, Mary. You and John find me a trial!
Mary Speaker and John Speaker [_Together._ ]
Mary Thinker and John Thinker [_Together._ ]
John Speaker, John Thinker, Mary Speaker and Mary Thinker [_All together._ ]
But suspicion never stays long in your good heart, Cousin Fanny. There's no room for it there, I know. But don't you think you'd better go to bed now? Let me call the maid.