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HOXTON。 Never mind； Miss WELLWYN。 Hundreds of these fellows before
me in my time。 ＇At CALWAY。＇ The only thing is a sharp lesson！
CALWAY。 I disagree。 I've seen the man； what he requires is steady
control； and the bobbins treatment。
＇WELLWYN approaches them with fearful interest。＇
HOXTON。 Not a bit of it！ He wants one for his knob！ Brace 'em up！
It's the only thing。
BERTLEY。 Personally； I think that if he were spoken to seriously
CALWAY。 I cannot walk arm in arm with a crab！
HOXTON。 ＇Approaching CALWAY。＇ I beg your pardon？
CALWAY。 ＇Moving back a little。＇ You're moving backwards； Sir
Thomas。 I've told you before； convinced reactionaryism； in these
days
＇There comes a single knock on the street door。＇
BERTLEY。 ＇Looking at his watch。＇ D'you know； I'm rather afraid
this may be our young husband； WELLWYN。 I told him half…past four。
WELLWYN。 Oh！ Ah！ Yes。 ＇Going towards the two reformers。＇ Shall
we go into the house； Professor； and settle the question quietly
while the Vicar sees a young man？
CALWAY。 ＇Pale with uncompleted statement； and gravitating
insensibly in the direction indicated。＇ The merest sense of
continuitya simple instinct for order
HOXTON。 ＇Following。＇ The only way to get order； sir； is to bring
the disorderly up with a round turn。 ＇CALWAY turns to him in the
doorway。＇ You people without practical experience
CALWAY。 If you'll listen to me a minute。
HOXTON。 I can show you in a mo
＇They vanish through the door。＇
WELLWYN。 I was afraid of it。
BERTLEY。 The two points of view。 Pleasant to see such keenness。
I may want you； WELLWYN。 And Ann perhaps had better not be present。
WELLWYN。 ＇Relieved。＇ Quite so！ My dear！
＇ANN goes reluctantly。 WELLWYN opens the street door。 The
lamp outside has just been lighted； and； by its gleam； is seen
the figure of RORY MEGAN； thin； pale； youthful。 ANN turning at
the door into the house gives him a long； inquisitive look；
then goes。＇
WELLWYN。 Is that Megan？
MEGAN。 Yus。
WELLWYN。 Come in。
＇MEGAN comes in。 There follows an awkward silence； during
which WELLWYN turns up the light； then goes to the tea table
and pours out a glass of tea and rum。＇
BERTLEY。 ＇Kindly。＇ Now； my boy； how is it that you and your wife
are living apart like this？
MEGAN。 I dunno。
BERTLEY。 Well； if you don't； none of us are very likely to； are we？
MEGAN。 That's what I thought； as I was comin' along。
WELLWYN。 ＇Twinkling。＇ Have some tea； Megan？ ＇Handing him the
glass。＇ What d'you think of her picture？ 'Tisn't quite finished。
MEGAN。 ＇After scrutiny。＇ I seen her look like itonce。
WELLWYN。 Good！ When was that？
MEGAN。 ＇Stoically。＇ When she 'ad the measles。
＇He drinks。
WELLWYN。 ＇Ruminating。＇ I seeyes。 I quite see feverish！
BERTLEY。 My dear WELLWYN； let me ＇To； MEGAN。＇ Now； I hope you're
willing to come together again； and to maintain her？
MEGAN。 If she'll maintain me。
BERTLEY。 Oh！ but I see； you mean you're in the same line of
business？
MEGAN。 Yus。
BERTLEY。 And lean on each other。 Quite so！
MEGAN。 I leans on 'er mostlywith 'er looks。
BERTLEY。 Indeed！ Very interestingthat！
MEGAN。 Yus。 Sometimes she'll take 'arf a crown off of a toff。 ＇He
looks at WELLWYN。＇
WELLWYN。 ＇Twinkling。＇ I apologise to you； Megan。
MEGAN。 ＇With a faint smile。＇ I could do with a bit more of it。
BERTLEY。 ＇Dubiously。＇ Yes！ Yes！ Now； my boy； I've heard you bet
on horses。
MEGAN。 No； I don't。
BERTLEY。 Play cards； then？ Come！ Don't be afraid to acknowledge
it。
MEGAN。 When I'm 'ard upyus。
BERTLEY。 But don't you know that's ruination？
MEGAN。 Depends。 Sometimes I wins a lot。
BERTLEY。 You know that's not at all what I mean。 Come； promise me
to give it up。
MEGAN。 I dunno abaht that。
BERTLEY。 Now； there's a good fellow。 Make a big effort and throw
the habit off！
MEGAN。 Comes over mesame as it might over you。
BERTLEY。 Over me！ How do you mean； my boy？
MEGAN。 ＇With a look up。＇ To tork！
＇WELLWYN； turning to the picture； makes a funny little noise。＇
BERTLEY。 ＇Maintaining his good humour。＇ A hit！ But you forget；
you know； to talk's my business。 It's not yours to gamble。
MEGAN。 You try sellin' flowers。 If that ain't agamble
BERTLEY。 I'm afraid we're wandering a little from the point。
Husband and wife should be together。 You were brought up to that。
Your father and mother
MEGAN。 Never was。
WELLWYN。 ＇Turning from the picture。＇ The question is； Megan： Will
you take your wife home？ She's a good little soul。
MEGAN。 She never let me know it。
＇There is a feeble knock on the door。＇
WELLWYN。 Well； now come。 Here she is！
＇He points to the door； and stands regarding MEGAN with his
friendly smile。＇
MEGAN。 ＇With a gleam of responsiveness。＇ I might； perhaps； to
please you； sir。
BERTLEY。 ＇Appropriating the gesture。＇ Capital； I thought we should
get on in time。
MEGAN。 Yus。
＇WELLWYN opens the door。 MRS。 MEGAN and FERRAND are revealed。
They are about to enter； but catching sight of MEGAN；
hesitate。＇
BERTLEY。 Come in！ Come in！
＇MRS。 MEGAN enters stolidly。 FERRAND； following； stands apart
with an air of extreme detachment。 MEGAN； after a quick glance
at them both； remains unmoved。 No one has noticed that the
door of the model's room has been opened； and that the unsteady
figure of old TIMSON is standing there。＇
BERTLEY。 ＇A little awkward in the presence of FERRANDto the
MEGANS。＇ This begins a new chapter。 We won't improve the occasion。
No need。
＇MEGAN； turning towards his wife； makes her a gesture as if to
say： 〃Here！ let's get out of this！〃＇
BENTLEY。 Yes； yes； you'll like to get home at onceI know。 ＇He
holds up his hand mechanically。＇
TIMSON。 I forbids the banns。
BERTLEY； ＇Startled。＇ Gracious！
TIMSON。 ＇Extremely unsteady。＇ Just cause and impejiment。 There 'e
stands。 ＇He points to FERRAND。＇ The crimson foreigner！ The mockin'
jay！
WELLWYN。 Timson！
TIMSON。 You're a gen'lemanI'm aweer o' that but I must speak the
truth＇he waves his hand＇ an' shame the devil！
BERTLEY。 Is this the rum？
TIMSON。 ＇Struck by the word。＇ I'm a teetotaler。
WELLWYN。 Timson； Timson！
TIMSON。 Seein' as there's ladies present； I won't be conspicuous。
＇Moving away； and making for the door； he strikes against the dais；
and mounts upon it。＇ But what I do say； is： He's no better than 'er
and she's worse。
BERTLEY。 This is distressing。
FERRAND。 ＇Calmly。＇ On my honour； Monsieur！
＇TIMSON growls。＇
WELLWYN。 Now； now； Timson！
TIMSON。 That's all right。 You're a gen'leman； an' I'm a gen'leman；
but he ain't an' she ain't。
WELLWYN。 We shall not believe you。
BERTLEY。 No； no； we shall not believe you。
TIMSON。 ＇Heavily。＇ Very well； you doubts my word。 Will it make
any difference； Guv'nor； if I speaks the truth？
BERTLEY。 No； certainly notthat isof course； it will。
TIMSON。 Well； then； I see 'em plainer than I see ＇pointing at
BERTLEY＇ the t