- Jasper Carter: Did Michael Jeffery make love to you there?
- Norma Besant: Yes.
- Jasper Carter: Did you resist him?
- Norma Besant: Yes.
- Jasper Carter: But he forced his attention?
- Norma Besant: Yes.
- Jasper Carter: And you could not resist his lovemaking?
- Norma Besant: No.
- Jasper Carter: And he made you yield?
- Norma Besant: Yes.
- Jasper Carter: He made you yield to an extreme?
- Norma Besant: Yes.
- Norma Besant: [to Wentworth after her father's suicide] I've got to hurry along home now and help Jimmy with his algebra.
- Norma Besant: I sorta got things twisted. But, I was wonderin', did we have a date to go to the dance tonight?
- Stanley Wentworth: Why, I thought I...
- Norma Besant: That's just what I thought too, Stanley; but, it was so long ago, I kinda forgot.
- Stanley Wentworth: Yeah, one does forget, I suppose.
- Norma Besant: It was just the funniest thing, but, you see I-I kinda forgot. You 'member I was over at Nellie Anne's a couple a weeks ago? And, I-I met Michael.
- Stanley Wentworth: Oh, well I see where I take another ride in the rumble seat.
- Norma Besant: I'll tell you somethin' I never told any other man, ever! Just the way you are, now, you'll be the best lookin' man there. Now, will you come?
- Michael Jeffery: No.
- Norma Besant: Well, you're the first man I ever told that to the just didn't naturally melt away.
- Michael Jeffery: I reckon I'm different from the other men - you've never told that to.
- Norma Besant: Michael, I heard about your fight at the post office this afternoon. It was about me, wasn't it?
- Michael Jeffery: Why, no, I...
- Norma Besant: Why, yes it was. Mae Grandham called me and told me all about it. Hugh Gaston said I was nothin' but a silly little coquette, didn't he? And you thrashed him for it.
- Norma Besant: We just naturally seem to have a lot to say to one another, don't we? I always did think you were interesting.
- Michael Jeffery: Why, you haven't known me but about two weeks.
- Norma Besant: I don't suppose he'll ever really trust me again, and he's just the most adorable old Daddy.
- Stanley Wentworth: Why don't you marry me, Norma?
- Norma Besant: Stanley, you're a dear.
- Stanley Wentworth: Oh, I know you've heard it so often it's beginning to sound like an echo. But, I do, so, mean it.
- Jimmy Besant: You're a fine one, you are. What time'd you get in last night?
- Norma Besant: Did Daddy ask?
- Jimmy Besant: I mean four o'clock, that's all. And make me get the blame for it.
- Norma Besant: Oh, Jimmy, you are a dear.
- Jimmy Besant: Jiminy, you must've been neckin' overtime. Believe me, I'd never marry a girl like that. Ooh, I don't mind 'em acting silly now and then, and clownin' around a bit, but... I like a girl that, out in a canoe...
- Norma Besant: [continuing Jimmy's soliloquy] ... in a canoe in the moonlight can discuss life seriously. I know.
- Julia: Now, now, don't you worry honey child, your old Daddy's just upset a little.
- Norma Besant: Oh, Julia, he was so mad. You don't suppose he'd hurt Michael?
- Julia: No, no, honey child, now calm yourself down. Now, you just come and tell your Mammy all about it.
- Norma Besant: Julia, I love him so much. They don't understand.
- Julia: Your Mammy understands, just like I always did. Because your still my baby, my little honey baby, my little honey baby.
- Jimmy Besant: Hey, Julia! Say, hurry up with that coffee. You know Dad and I can't enjoy our after-dinner smoke without a cup of coffee.
- Julia: Go on, child. I's a-comin'.
- Jimmy Besant: Oh, Jiminy. Juliet, you aggravate me. Well, shake a leg, will ya?
- Julia: Shake my leg? I shake my legs for nobody, no Seh!
- Michael Jeffery: I reckon you must think that was a rotten thing for me to say.
- Norma Besant: What?
- Michael Jeffery: About my going to marry you. I said that because I... I love you.
- [Norma clutches her heart and exhales]
- Michael Jeffery: Well, you've given your word to your father not to see me again, so I guess I'd better move on.
- Norma Besant: Don't go yet, Michael.
- Michael Jeffery: What's there to keep me here?
- [Norma turns away and drops her head]
- Michael Jeffery: Do you care at all about me, Norma? Because if I thought you cared for me, I'd settle down, and go to work, and really make something of myself. And I'd show your father that I could qualify as your husband as well as any other man. Only I mean, Norma, really care for me, really love me, not play around with me. That's what I mean. Why don't you say something, Norma? If you don't care for me, just say so, and I'll.. beat it; you won't see me around this town again.
- Norma Besant: Oh, don't do that, Michael... It... it scares me so, Michael.
- Michael Jeffery: What?
- Norma Besant: The way I feel about you. I love you. I love you more than anybody in the world. I love you even more than my Daddy.
- Michael Jeffery: You do love me, Norma?
- Norma Besant: Yes.
- Michael Jeffery: That's all I wanna know. I'll show your father. People think I'm too lazy to work, but it's just... it's just that I can't breathe when I'm shut up.
- Norma Besant: I know.
- Michael Jeffery: But I can stand anything for you, Norma. I can get a job surveyin' up in the hills, and I'm going up there tomorrow. And, Norma, this is what I'll do: I'll stay up there for six months.
- Norma Besant: Oh.
- Michael Jeffery: You tell him that, Norma, and tell him that I'm coming back at the end of the six months to marry you.
- Norma Besant: Six months.
- Michael Jeffery: It'll seem 600 years. Good-bye, Norma.
- Norma Besant: Michael.
- [She reaches for him, they embrace, and it appears they will kiss]
- Michael Jeffery: But I'm not going to kiss you; I've all the others doing that. I won't kiss you until I come back to marry you, and that'll be worth waiting for.
- [They start to lean in toward each other again]
- Michael Jeffery: Well, this isn't gettin' us anyplace... . Good night.
- [Michael leaves the room and exits the house]
- Norma Besant: [Norma watches out the window as Michael leaves the property and speaks to herself] Good-bye, Michael. I'll be waitin'.
- Miss Jenkins: [Talking to Stanley] And the doctor wore rubber gloves, the kind I wear when I wash dishes on the maid's night out.
- [Stanely sees Norma motioning to him, and he abruptly leaves the conversation]
- Norma Besant: [Stanley and Norma dance for *literally* two seconds] Oh, wasn't that just wonderful?
- Stanley Wentworth: Yes, wasn't it?
- Norma Besant: Let's go out and get some fresh air, Stanley.
- Stanley Wentworth: I need it.
- [as the pair pass Miss Jenkins, still standing where she was when Stanley left her]
- Stanley Wentworth: Pardon me, Miss Jenkins, I enjoyed your operations very much.
- Miss Jenkins: Oh.
- Stanley Wentworth: [as Norma and Stanely emerge outside] If I have to hear that story once more, I'll be operating on Miss Jenkins in my sleep.