NAN.  [Going  up  to  her.]  No,  my  friend,
my  girt  friend,  my  little  Judas  friend,  my  little
pale  snake  friend.  It's  not  good  enough.  Did
you  'ave  one  of  them  pies?

JENNY.  [Blustering.]  You  can — I  ain't
goin'  to —

NAN.  Did  you?  The  sheep  died.  The
sheep  died  last  week.  Did  you  eat  one  of  them
pies?

JENNY.  No,  I  know  what  the  sheep  die  of.
Gaffer  won't  mind.  'Ere,  gaffer.
NAN.  [Fiercely.]  Sit  down,  my  little
friend.  Sit  down  and  eat  that  pie  yourself.
Eat  it.  Eat  it  or  I'll  kill  you.  Eat  it.  You
with  no  charity  to  old  or  young.  You  shall  eat


Act  ///]  THE  TRAGEDY  OF  NAN  93

the  charity  of  the  uncharitable.  Eat  it.  You
little  snake.  Eat  it.
JENNY.    I'll — I'll  send  mother  to  you.
NAN.  [Preventing  her.]  No.  Oh,  no.
[Forcing  her  into  a  chair.]  Eat.  Eat.
(JENNY  in  great  terror  begins  to  eat.]

JENNY.    I  be  goin'  to  be  sick.
NAN.  Eat.  (JENNY  eats.  Then  shrinks
back.]

JENNY.  [After  a  mouthful.]  Wot  are  you
lookin'  at  me  for?

NAN.     I'm  looking  at  my  friend.    My  friend.
JENNY.  [After  a  mouthful.]  I  can't  eat
with  you  watchin'  me.
NAN.  Yes,  Jenny.  It  is  your  bride  cake.
Your  bride  cake.  Your  bride  cake  for  your
marriage,  Jenny.
JENNY.  [Screaming.]  Don't  look  at  me
like  that.
NAN.     [Coming  up  to  her  and  glaring  down


94  THE  TRAGEDY  OF  NAN  [Act  111

into  her  face.]  Yes,  Jenny.  I  must  look  at  you
like  this.  I  must  look  into  your  soul,  Jenny.
Into  your  soul.  [Slowly  and  quietly.]

JENNY.    Ah-h.
NAN.  You  'ave  pale  eyes,  Jenny.  Pale  eyes.
