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DOT。 Oh； yes！ Studdenham； thanks； thanks awfully。
STUDDENHAM。 Wonderful faithful creatures； follow you like a woman。
You can't shake 'em off anyhow。 ＇He protrudes the right…hand pocket＇
My girl； she'd set her heart on him； but she'll just have to do
without。＇
DOT。 ＇As though galvanised＇ Oh！ no； I can't take it away from her。
STUDDENHAM。 Bless you； she won't mind！ That's settled； then。 ＇He
turns to the door。 To the PUPPY＇ Ah！ would you！ Tryin' to wriggle
out of it！ Regular young limb！ ＇He goes out； followed by JACKSON。
CHRISTINE。 How ghastly！
DOT。 ＇Suddenly catching sight of the book in her hand＇ 〃Caste！〃
＇She gives vent to a short sharp laugh。
The curtain falls。
ACT III
It is five o'clock of the same day。 The scene is the
smoking…room； with walls of Leander red； covered by old
steeplechase and hunting prints。 Armchairs encircle a high
ferulered hearth； in which a fire is burning。 The curtains are
not yet drawn across mullioned windows； but electric light is
burning。 There are two doors； leading； the one to the billiard…
room； the other to a corridor。 BILL is pacing up and doom；
HAROLD； at the fireplace； stands looking at him with
commiseration。
BILL。 What's the time？
HAROLD。 Nearly five。 They won't be in yet； if that's any
consolation。 Always a tough meet＇softly＇ as the tiger said when he
ate the man。
BILL。 By Jove！ You're the only person I can stand within a mile of
me； Harold。
HAROLD。 Old boy！ Do you seriously think you're going to make it any
better by marrying her？
＇Bill shrugs his shoulders； still pacing the room。＇
BILL。 Look here！ I'm not the sort that finds it easy to say things。
HAROLD。 No； old man。
BILL。 But I've got a kind of self…respect though you wouldn't think
it！
HAROLD。 My dear old chap！
BILL。 This is about as low…down a thing as one could have done； I
supposeone's own mother's maid； we've known her since she was so
high。 I see it now thatI've got over the attack。
HAROLD。 But； heavens！ if you're no longer keen on her； Bill！ Do
apply your reason； old boy。
There is silence； while BILL again paces up and dozen。
BILL。 If you think I care two straws about the morality of the
thing。
HAROLD。 Oh！ my dear old man！ Of course not！
BILL。 It's simply that I shall feel such a d…d skunk； if I leave
her in the lurch； with everybody knowing。 Try it yourself； you'd
soon see！
HAROLD。 Poor old chap！
BILL。 It's not as if she'd tried to force me into it。 And she's a
soft little thing。 Why I ever made such a sickening ass of myself； I
can't think。 I never meant
HAROLD。 No； I know！ But； don't do anything rash； Bill； keep your
head； old man！
BILL。 I don't see what loss I should be； if I did clear out of the
country。 ＇The sound of cannoning billiard balls is heard＇ Who's
that knocking the balls about？
HAROLD。 John； I expect。 ＇The sound ceases。＇
BILL。 He's coming in here。 Can't stand that！
As LATTER appears from the billiard…room； he goes hurriedly out。
LATTER。 Was that Bill？
HAROLD。 Yes。
LATTER。 Well？
HAROLD。 ＇Pacing up and down in his turn＇ Rat in a cage is a fool to
him。 This is the sort of thing you read of in books； John！ What
price your argument with Runny now？ Well； it's not too late for you
luckily。
LATTER。 What do you mean？
HAROLD。 You needn't connect yourself with this eccentric family！
LATTER。 I'm not a bounder； Harold。
HAROLD。 Good！
LATTER。 It's terrible for your sisters。
HAROLD。 Deuced lucky we haven't a lot of people staying here！ Poor
mother！ John； I feel awfully bad about this。 If something isn't
done； pretty mess I shall be in。
LATTER。 How？
HAROLD。 There's no entail。 If the Governor cuts Bill off； it'll all
come to me。
LATTER。 Oh！
HAROLD。 Poor old Bill！ I say； the play！ Nemesis！ What？ Moral！
Caste don't matter。 Got us fairly on the hop。
LATTER。 It's too bad of Bill。 It really is。 He's behaved
disgracefully。
HAROLD。 ＇Warningly＇ Well！ There are thousands of fellows who'd
never dream of sticking to the girl； considering what it means。
LATTER。 Perfectly disgusting！
HAROLD。 Hang you； John！ Haven't you any human sympathy？ Don't you
know how these things come about？ It's like a spark in a straw…yard。
LATTER。 One doesn't take lighted pipes into strawyards unless one's
an idiot； or worse。
HAROLD。 H'm！ ＇With a grin＇ You're not allowed tobacco。 In the
good old days no one would hive thought anything of this。 My
great…grandfather
LATTER。 Spare me your great…grandfather。
HAROLD。 I could tell you of at least a dozen men I know who've been
through this same business； and got off scot…free； and now because
Bill's going to play the game； it'll smash him up。
LATTER。 Why didn't he play the game at the beginning？
HAROLD。 I can't stand your sort； John。 When a thing like this
happens； all you can do is to cry out： Why didn't he？ Why didn't
she？ What's to be donethat's the point！
LATTER。 Of course he'll have to。
HAROLD。 Ha！
LATTER。 What do you mean bythat？
HAROLD。 Look here； John！ You feel in your bones that a marriage'll
be hopeless； just as I do； knowing Bill and the girl and everything！
Now don't you？
LATTER。 The whole thing isis most unfortunate。
HAROLD。 By Jove！ I should think it was！
As he speaks CHRISTINE and KEITH Come in from the billiard…room。
He is still in splashed hunting clothes； and looks exceptionally
weathered； thin…lipped； reticent。 He lights a cigarette and
sinks into an armchair。 Behind them DOT and JOAN have come
stealing in。
CHRISTINE。 I've told Ronny。
JOAN。 This waiting for father to be told is awful。
HAROLD。 ＇To KEITH＇ Where did you leave the old man？
KEITH。 Clackenham。 He'll be home in ten minutes。
DOT。 Mabel's going。 ＇They all stir； as if at fresh consciousness of
discomfiture＇。 She walked into Gracely and sent herself a telegram。
HAROLD。 Phew！
DOT。 And we shall say good…bye； as if nothing had happened。
HAROLD。 It's up to you； Ronny。
KEITH； looking at JOAN； slowly emits smoke； and LATTER passing
his arm through JOAN'S； draws her away with him into the
billiard…room。
KEITH。 Dot？
DOT。 I'm not a squeamy squirrel。
KEITH。 Anybody seen the girl since？
DOT。 Yes。
HAROLD。 Well？
DOT。 She's just sitting there。
CHRISTINE。 ＇In a hard voice＇ As we're all doing。
DOT。 She's so soft； that's what's so horrible。 If one could only
feel！
KEITH。 She's got to face the music like the rest of us。
DOT。 Music！ Squeaks！