"Got to!" I shall not!
PIKE. I'm your guardian, and you'll do as I say. You'll obey me this
once if you never do again.
[She looks at him defiantly; he faces her with determination, and
continues without pause.]
You'll stay here while I talk to these people, and you'll stay in spite
of anything they say or do to make you go.
[Slight pause; she yields and walks back to her chair. PIKE continues.]
God knows I hate to talk rough to you. I wouldn't hurt your feelings for
the world, but it's come to a point where I've got to use the authority
I have over you.
ETHEL [with a renewal of her defiance]. Authority? Do you think--
PIKE. You'll stay here for the next twenty minutes if I have to make
Crecy and Agincourt look like a Peace Conference!
[She looks at him aghast, sinks into chair by table; he continues after
a very slight pause.]
You and your brother have soaked up a society-column notion of life
over here; you're like old Pete Delaney of Terry Hut--he got so he'd
drink cold tea if there was a whiskey label on the bottle. They've
fuddled you with labels. It's my business to see that you know what kind
of people you're dealin' with.
ETHEL [almost in tears]. You're bullying me! I don't see why you talk so
brutally to me.
PIKE [sadly and earnestly].
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