OCEANA. Uncle Quincy, why do you let Aunt Sophronia and Letitia
frighten you the way they do?

DR. MASTERSON. My dear girl!

OCEANA. Take yesterday afternoon, for instance - what I said about
syphilis. You know I was right, and yet you didn't dare say so.

DR. MASTERSON. Really, Oceana . . .

OCEANA. You are an educated man - a man of science. You know what
modern ideas are. And yet you consent to be walked all over!

DR. MASTERSON. My dear . . .

OCEANA. Here are these women . . . they have leisure and opportunity .
. . they ought to be doing some good in the world. And yet they
haven't an idea except to act as other people think they ought to act!

DR. MASTERSON. Dear me! Dear me!

[Rises and begins to pace the room.]

OCEANA. Don't run away from me.

DR. MASTERSON. I'm not running away. But you are so disconcerting,
Oceana . . .

OCEANA. I know; but that's only because you know that what I say is
true, and you don't like to feel that anybody else knows it.