Starbottle. Permit me to--explain. Your conduct, Mr. Morton,
reminds me of sing'lar incident in '47--

Old Morton. Silence!

Oakhurst. One word, Mr. Morton! Shamed and disgraced as I am, I
leave this roof more gladly than I entered it. How I came here,
you best know. How I yielded madly to the temptation, the promise
of a better life; how I fell, through the hope of reformation,--no
one should know better than you, sir, the reformer. I do not ask
your pardon. You know that I did my duty to you as your presumed
son. Your real son will bear witness, that, from the hour I knew
of his existence, I did my duty equally to him. Col. Starbottle
has all the legal transfers and papers necessary to make the
restoration of your son--the integrity of your business name--
complete. I take nothing out of this life that I did not bring in
it,--except my self-respect! I go--as I came--alone!

Jovita (rushing towards him). No! no! You shall take ME! I have
wronged you, Jack, cruelly; I have doubted you; but you shall not
go alone. I care not for this contract! You are more to me, by
your own right, Jack, than by any kinship with such as these!

Oakhurst (raising her gently). I thank you, darling. But it is
too late now. To be more worthy of you, to win YOU, I waived the
title I had to you in my own manhood, to borrow another's more
legal claim. I who would not win you as a gambler, cannot make you
now the wife of a convicted impostor. No! Hear me, darling! do
not make my disgrace greater than it is. In the years to come,
Jovita, think of me as one who loved you well enough to go through