"That can be done without your going to live with him."
"Not as he wants. I know what he wants; he wants a 'ome, and he won't be put off with less."
"No, you do him wrong. He ain't no more wicked than another; he's just one of the ordinary sort--not much better or worse. If he'd been a real bad lot it would have been better for us, for then he'd never have come between us. You're beginning to understand, Fred, ain't you? If I don't go with him my boy'll lose everything. He wants a 'ome--a real 'ome with children, and if he can't get me he'll go after another woman."
"No, Fred. But think if we was to marry. As like as not I should have children, and they'd be more in your sight than my boy."
"Just so, Fred; even if you loved him like your own, you can't make sure that he'd love you."
"Ah, yes; he'd have liked you well enough if he'd never seen his father. But he's that keen on his father, and it would be worse later on. He'd never be contented in our 'ome. He'd be always after him, and then I should never see him, and he would be led away into betting and drink."
"If his father is that sort of man, the best chance for Jackie would be to keep him out of his way. If he gets divorced and marries another woman he will forget all about Jackie."
"Yes, that might be," said Esther, and Fred pursued his advantage. But, interrupting him, Esther said--
"Anyway, Jackie would lose all his father's money; the public-house would--"
"So you're going to live in a public-house, Esther?"
"But he's not your husband; he's another woman's husband."
"He's to marry me when he gets his divorce."
"He may desert you and leave you with another child."
"You can't say nothing I ain't thought of already. I must put up with the risk. I suppose it is a part of the punishment for the first sin. We can't do wrong without being punished--at least women can't. But I thought I'd been punished enough."
"The second sin is worse than the first. A married man, Esther--you who I thought so religious."
"Ah, religion is easy enough at times, but there is other times when it don't seem to fit in with one's duty. I may be wrong, but it seems natural like--he's the father of my child."
"I'm afraid your mind is made up, Esther. Think twice before it's too late."