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ANN。 ＇Entering from the house。＇ What's happened？
CALWAY。 Might we have a brush？
HOXTON。 ＇Testily。＇ Let it dry！
＇He moves to the fire and stands before it。 PROFESSOR CALWAY
following stands a little behind him。 ANN returning begins to
brush the PROFESSOR's sleeve。＇
WELLWYN。 ＇Turning from the door； where he has stood looking after
the receding TIMSON。＇ Poor old Timson！
FERRAND。 ＇Softly。＇ Must be philosopher； Monsieur！ They will but
run him in a little。
＇From the model's room MRS。 MEGAN has come out； shepherded by
CANON BERTLEY。
BERTLEY。 Let's see； your Christian name is。
MRS。 MEGAN。 Guinevere。
BERTLEY。 Oh！ Ah！ Ah！ Ann； take Gui … take our little friend into
the study a minute： I am going to put her into service。 We shall
make a new woman of her； yet。
ANN。 ＇Handing CANON BERTLEY the brush； and turning to MRS。 MEGAN。＇
Come on！
＇She leads into the house； and MRS。 MEGAN follows Stolidly。＇
BERTLEY。 ＇Brushing CALWAY'S back。＇ Have you fallen？
CALWAY。 Yes。
BERTLEY。 Dear me！ How was that？
HOXTON。 That old ruffian drunk on the doorstep。 Hope they'll give
him a sharp dose！ These rag…tags！
＇He looks round； and his angry eyes light by chance on FERRAND。
FERRAND。 ＇With his eyes on HOXTONsoftly。＇ Monsieur； something
tells me it is time I took the road again。
WELLWYN。 ＇Fumbling out a sovereign。＇ Take this； then！
FERRAND。 ＇Refusing the coin。＇ Non； Monsieur。 To abuse 'ospitality
is not in my character。
BERTLEY。 We must not despair of anyone。
HOXTON。 Who talked of despairing？ Treat him； as I say； and you'll
see！
CALWAY。 The interest of the State
HOXTON。 The interest of the individual citizen sir
BERTLEY。 Come！ A little of both； a little of both！
＇They resume their brushing。＇
FERRAND。 You are now debarrassed of us three； Monsieur。 I leave
you insteadthese sirs。 ＇He points。＇ 'Au revoir； Monsieur'！
＇Motioning towards the fire。＇ 'Appy New Year！
＇He slips quietly out。 WELLWYN； turning； contemplates the
three reformers。 They are all now brushing away； scratching
each other's backs； and gravely hissing。 As he approaches
them； they speak with a certain unanimity。
HOXTON。 My theory！
CALWAY。 My theory！
BERTLEY。 My theory！
＇They stop surprised。 WELLWYN makes a gesture of discomfort；
as they speak again with still more unanimity。
HOXTON。 My！ CALWAY。 My！ BERTLEY。 My！
＇They stop in greater surprise。 The stage is blotted dark。＇
Curtain。
ACT III
It is the first of Aprila white spring day of gleams and driving
showers。 The street door of WELLWYN's studio stands wide open； and；
past it； in the street； the wind is whirling bits of straw and paper
bags。 Through the door can be seen the butt end of a stationary
furniture van with its flap let down。 To this van three humble…men
in shirt sleeves and aprons； are carrying out the contents of the
studio。 The hissing samovar； the tea…pot； the sugar； and the nearly
empty decanter of rum stand on the low round table in the
fast…being…gutted room。 WELLWYN in his ulster and soft hat； is
squatting on the little stool in front of the blazing fire； staring
into it； and smoking a hand…made cigarette。 He has a moulting air。
Behind him the humble…men pass； embracing busts and other articles
of vertu。
CHIEF H'MAN。 ＇Stopping； and standing in the attitude of
expectation。＇ We've about pinched this little lot； sir。 Shall we
take thereservoir？
＇He indicates the samovar。＇
WELLWYN。 Ah！ ＇Abstractedly feeling in his pockets； and finding
coins。＇ Thanksthanksheavy work； I'm afraid。
H'MAN。 ＇Receiving the coinsa little surprised and a good deal
pleased。＇ Thank'ee； sir。 Much obliged； I'm sure。 We'll 'ave to
come back for this。 ＇He gives the dais a vigorous push with his
foot。＇ Not a fixture； as I understand。 Perhaps you'd like us to
leave these 'ere for a bit。 ＇He indicates the tea things。＇
WELLWYN。 Ah！ do。
＇The humble…men go out。 There is the sound of horses being
started； and the butt end of the van disappears。 WELLWYN stays
on his stool； smoking and brooding over the fare。 The open
doorway is darkened by a figure。 CANON BERTLEY is standing
there。
BERTLEY。 WELLWYN！ ＇WELLWYN turns and rises。＇ It's ages since I
saw you。 No idea you were moving。 This is very dreadful。
WELLWYN。 Yes； Ann found thistoo exposed。 That tall house in
Flight Streetwe're going there。 Seventh floor。
BERTLEY。 Lift？
＇WELLWYN shakes his head。＇
BERTLEY。 Dear me！ No lift？ Fine view； no doubt。 ＇WELLWYN nods。＇
You'll be greatly missed。
WELLWYN。 So Ann thinks。 Vicar； what's become of that little
flower…seller I was painting at Christmas？ You took her into
service。
BERTLEY。 Not weexactly！ Some dear friends of ours。 Painful
subject！
WELLWYN。 Oh！
BERTLEY。 Yes。 She got the footman into trouble。
WELLWYN。 Did she； now？
BERTLEY。 Disappointing。 I consulted with CALWAY； and he advised me
to try a certain institution。 We got her safely inexcellent
place； but； d'you know； she broke out three weeks ago。 And since
I've heard ＇he holds his hands up＇ hopeless； I'm afraidquite！
WELLWYN。 I thought I saw her last night。 You can't tell me her
address； I suppose？
BERTLEY。 ＇Shaking his head。＇ The husband too has quite passed out
of my ken。 He betted on horses； you remember。 I'm sometimes
tempted to believe there's nothing for some of these poor folk but
to pray for death。
＇ANN has entered from the house。 Her hair hangs from under a
knitted cap。 She wears a white wool jersey； and a loose silk
scarf。＇
BERTLEY。 Ah！ Ann。 I was telling your father of that poor little
Mrs。 Megan。
ANN。 Is she dead？
BERTLEY。 Worse I fear。 By the waywhat became of her accomplice？
ANN。 We haven't seen him since。 ＇She looks searchingly at
WELLWYN。＇ At leasthave youDaddy？
WELLWYN。 ＇Rather hurt。＇ No； my dear； I have not。
BERTLEY。 And theold gentleman who drank the rum？
ANN。 He got fourteen days。 It was the fifth time。
BERTLEY。 Dear me！
ANN。 When he came out he got more drunk than ever。 Rather a score
for Professor Calway； wasn't it？
BERTLEY。 I remember。 He and Sir Thomas took a kindly interest in
the old fellow。
ANN。 Yes； they fell over him。 The Professor got him into an
Institution。
BERTLEY。 Indeed！
ANN。 He was perfectly sober all the time he was there。
WELLWYN。 My dear； they only allow them milk。
ANN。 Well； anyway； he was reformed。
WELLWYN。 Ye…yes！
ANN。 ＇Terribly。＇ Daddy！ You've been seeing him！
WELLWYN。 ＇With dignity。＇ My dear； I have not。
ANN。 How do you know； then？
WELLWYN。 Came across Sir Thomas on the Embankment yesterday； told
me old Timsohad been had up again for sitting down in front of a
brewer's dray。
ANN。 Why？
WELLWYN。 Well； you see； as soon as he came out of the what d'you
call 'em； he got drunk for a week； and it left him in low spirits。
BERTLEY。 Do you mean he deliberately sat down； with the
intentionofer？