[_She walks in the child's direction, takes him by the hand, holds up the orange temptingly, and both go, now quite at one, into the next room._
MRS. WOLFF
[_Following the child with her eyes._] No, that boy, I could just sit an'
look at him. I don't know, when I see a boy like that ... [_She takes up a corner of her apron and wipes her eyes._] ... I feel as if I had to howl right out.
FLEISCHER
Did you have a boy like that once?
MRS. WOLFF
That I had. But what's the use o' all that. You can't make people come back to life. You see--things like that--that's life....
_A pause._
FLEISCHER
One can't be careful enough with children,
MRS. WOLFF
You can go an' be as careful as you want to be. What is to be, will be.
[_A pause.--Shaking her head._] What trouble did you have with Mr. Motes?
FLEISCHER
I? None at all! What trouble should I have had with him?
MRS. WOLFF
Oh, I was just thinkin'.
FLEISCHER
How old is your daughter anyhow?
MRS. WOLFF
She'll be out o' school this Easter. Why? Would you like to have her? I wouldn't mind her goin' into service if it's with you.
FLEISCHER
I don't see why not. That wouldn't be half bad.
MRS. WOLFF
She's grown up to be a strong kind o' body. Even if she is a bit young, she c'n work most as well as any one, I tell you. An' I tell you another thing. She's a scamp now an' then; she don't always do right. But she ain't no fool. That girl's got genius.
FLEISCHER
That's quite possible, no doubt.
MRS. WOLFF
You just let her go an' recite a single piece for you--just once--a pome, or somethin'. An' I tell you, Doctor, you ain't goin' to be able to get through shiverin'. You c'n possibly call her in some day when you got visitors from Berlin. All kinds o' writers comes to your house, I believe. An' she ain't backward; she'll sail right in. Oh, she does say pieces _that_ beautiful.--[_With a sudden change of manner._] Now I want to give you a bit o' advice; only you musn't be offended.
FLEISCHER
I'm never offended by good advice.
MRS. WOLFF
First thing, then: Don't give away so much. Nobody ain't goin' to thank you for it. You don't get nothin' but ingratitude.
FLEISCHER
Why, I don't give away very much, Mrs. Wolff.
MRS. WOLFF
That's all right, I know. An' the more you talk, the more scared people gets. First thing they says: that's a demercrat. Yon can't be too careful talkin'.
FLEISCHER
In what way am I to take all that, Mrs. Wolff?
MRS. WOLFF
Yon c'n go an' you c'n think what you please. But you gotta be careful when it comes to talkin', or you sit in gaol before you know it.
FLEISCHER
[_Turns pale._] Well, now, look here, but that's nonsense, Mrs. Wolff.
MRS. WOLFF
No, no. I tell you that's serious. An' be careful o' that feller, whatever you do!
FLEISCHER
Whom do you mean by that?
MRS. WOLFF
The same man we was talkin' about a while ago.
FLEISCHER