- Robert Cunningham: Tell me, what have you been doing all these months?
- Virginia Stuart Cunningham: Working 18 hours a day and being lonely 24.
- Virginia Stuart Cunningham: It was strange, here I was among all those people, and at the same time I felt as if I were looking at them from some place far away, the whole place seemed to me like a deep hole and the people down in it like strange animals, like... like snakes, and I've been thrown into it... yes... as though... as though I were in a snake pit...
- Doctor Mark Kik: A snake pit?
- Virginia Stuart Cunningham: Later, weeks later, I understood. I remembered once reading in a book that long ago they used to put insane people into pits full of snakes. I think they figured that something which might drive a normal person insane, might shock an insane person back into sanity. Did you ever hear of that?
- Doctor Mark Kik: Yes.
- Virginia Stuart Cunningham: Well, it was just as though they'd thrown me into a snake pit. And I was shocked into thinking that maybe I wasn't as sick as the others... and I really might get well.
- Virginia Stuart Cunningham: [sighs] It's funny.
- Doctor Mark Kik: What is it?
- Virginia Stuart Cunningham: Everything you've said seems to make sense. I feel as though I know it,
- [places hand on her heart]
- Virginia Stuart Cunningham: here...
- Doctor Mark Kik: But you don't quite understand it all, here?
- [points, with his pipe, to his head]
- Doctor Mark Kik: Don't worry, it doesn't matter. You may never know *why* everything happened, but now you do know *how* and *where* it started, and that *does* matter. Look, it's as though you were in a dark room, like this one...
- [turns off light switch]
- Doctor Mark Kik: ... now. And you wanted to turn on the light. But, you couldn't, because you didn't know where the switch was. Now you *do*. You may never know *why* turning that switch makes the light go on, but you don't *have* to. As long as you know *where* it is, you don't ever have to be afraid being in the dark again. And that, I'm sure, you'll be able to do very soon.
- Celia Sommerville: And we're so crowded already. I just don't know where it's all gonna end!
- Virginia Stuart Cunningham: I'll tell you where it's gonna end, Miss Somerville... When there are more sick ones than well ones, the sick ones will lock the well ones up.
- Mrs. Greer: Good afternoon, my dear. I don't think I've had the pleasure of seeing you here before.
- Virginia Stuart Cunningham: I'm Virginia Cunningham. I came from Five.
- Mrs. Greer: Nobody comes to One from Five. Even I had to spend a few days in Two before coming here. And I, my dear, have money.
- Virginia Stuart Cunningham: That must be convenient.
- Mrs. Greer: My husband, Mr. Greer, is very wealthy. I have more jewels than I can possibly wear. You, of course, are a charity patient?
- Virginia Stuart Cunningham: Oh, no. It so happens that my husband, Mr. Cunningham, is very wealthy. My diamonds simply weigh me down.
- Mrs. Greer: I have the Hope Diamond!
- Virginia Stuart Cunningham: I have the Hopeless Emerald! It carries the Cunningham curse. You've probably read about it.
- Mrs. Greer: Mr. Greer...
- Virginia Stuart Cunningham: Your husband?
- Mrs. Greer: Mr. Greer, my husband, considered buying it, but it has a flaw. You see, you can't put an imperfect stone on the most beautiful hands in the world.
- Miss Greene: You get off the rug, Virginia Cunningham! Come on! Come on! Get off of there! I've told you a dozen times we do not walk on our rug.
- Virginia Stuart Cunningham: Why not?
- Miss Greene: Because we don't! Understand? We're the only ward that has a rug. It's new, I mean it's clean, and we mean to keep it that way.
- Virginia Stuart Cunningham: Why don't you hang it on the wall?
- Miss Greene: Your wisecracks might have been appreciated in other wards, but in 12 they don't go over.
- Virginia Stuart Cunningham: Is this 12?
- Miss Greene: And what did you think it was? One?
- Virginia Stuart Cunningham: How long have I been here?
- Miss Greene: Too long.
- Dr. Jonathan Gifford: Now now, doctor, we're not trying to minimize the importance of the treatment you're giving your patient.
- Dr. Curtis: The trouble is for you each case is 'the one,' and for us it's one of thousands.
- Doctor Mark Kik: Yes, Curtis, one of thousands, even millions. But only by trying to make each case 'the one' can we really help the patient.
- Dr. Curtis: I happen to have here some of the more recent statistics. Ah yes, here they are. Sometimes even we doctors must face reality.