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my estate。
DUNNING。 I'd like to say； Sir William； that she ＇He stops＇。
SIR WILLIAM。 Yes； I daresay…Six of one and half a dozen of the
other。 Can't go into that。
DUNNING。 No； Sir William。
SIR WILLIAM。 I'm quite mild with you。 This is your first place。 If
you leave here you'll get no character。
DUNNING。 I never meant any harm； sir。
SIR WILLIAM。 My good fellow； you know the custom of the country。
DUNNING。 Yes； Sir William； but
SIR WILLIAM。 You should have looked before you leaped。 I'm not
forcing you。 If you refuse you must go； that's all。
DUNNING。 Yes。 Sir William。
SIR WILLIAM。 Well； now go along and take a day to think it over。
BILL； who has sauntered moody from the diningroom； stands by the
stairs listening。 Catching sight of him； DUNNING raises his
hand to his forelock。
DUNNING。 Very good； Sir William。 ＇He turns； fumbles； and turns
again＇ My old mother's dependent on me
SIR WILLIAM。 Now； Dunning； I've no more to say。
＇Dunning goes sadly away under the stairs。＇
SIR WILLIAM。 ＇Following＇ And look here！ Just understand this
＇He too goes out。。。。＇
BILL； lighting a cigarette； has approached the writing…table。
He looks very glum。 The billiard…room door is flung open。
MABEL LANFARNE appears； and makes him a little curtsey。
MABEL。 Against my will I am bidden to bring you in to pool。
BILL。 Sorry！ I've got letters。
MABEL。 You seem to have become very conscientious。
BILL。 Oh！ I don't know。
MABEL。 Do you remember the last day of the covert shooting？
BITS。 I do。
MABEL。 ＇Suddenly＇ What a pretty girl Freda Studdenham's grown！
BILL。 Has she？
MABEL。 〃She walks in beauty。〃
BILL。 Really？ Hadn't noticed。
MABEL。 Have you been taking lessons in conversation？
BILL。 Don't think so。
MABEL。 Oh！ ＇There is a silence＇ Mr。 Cheshire！
BILL。 Miss Lanfarne！
MABEL。 What's the matter with you？ Aren't you rather queer；
considering that I don't bite； and was rather a pal！
BILL。 ＇Stolidly＇ I'm sorry。
Then seeing that his mother has came in from the billiard…room；
he sits down at the writing…table。
LADY CHESHIRE。 Mabel； dear； do take my cue。 Won't you play too；
Bill； and try and stop Ronny； he's too terrible？
BILL。 Thanks。 I've got these letters。
MABEL taking the cue passes back into the billiard…room； whence comes
out the sound of talk and laughter。
LADY CHESHIRE。 ＇Going over and standing behind her son's chair＇
Anything wrong； darling？
BILL。 Nothing； thanks。 ＇Suddenly＇ I say； I wish you hadn't asked
that girl here。
LADY CHESHIRE。 Mabel！ Why？ She's wanted for rehearsals。 I thought
you got on so well with her last Christmas。
BILL。 ＇With a sort of sullen exasperation。＇ A year ago。
LADY CHESHIRE。 The girls like her； so does your father； personally I
must say I think she's rather nice and Irish。
BILL。 She's all right； I daresay。
He looks round as if to show his mother that he wishes to be
left alone。 But LADY CHESHIRE； having seen that he is about to
look at her； is not looking at him。
LADY CHESHIRE。 I'm afraid your father's been talking to you； Bill。
BILL。 He has。
LADY CHESHIRE。 Debts？ Do try and make allowances。 ＇With a faint
smile＇ Of course he is a little
BILL。 He is。
LADY CHESHIRE。 I wish I could
BILL。 Oh； Lord！ Don't you get mixed up in it！
LADY CHESHIRE。 It seems almost a pity that you told him。
BILL。 He wrote and asked me point blank what I owed。
LADY CHESHIRE。 Oh！ ＇Forcing herself to speak in a casual voice＇
I happen to have a little money； BillI think it would be simpler
if
BILL。 Now look here； mother； you've tried that before。 I can't help
spending money； I never shall be able； unless I go to the Colonies；
or something of the kind。
LADY CHESHIRE。 Don't talk like that； dear！
BILL。 I would； for two straws！
LADY CHESHIRE。 It's only because your father thinks such a lot of
the place； and the name； and your career。 The Cheshires are all like
that。 They've been here so long； they're allroot。
BILL。 Deuced funny business my career will be； I expect！
LADY CHESHIRE。 ＇Fluttering； but restraining herself lest he should
see＇ But； Bill； why must you spend more than your allowance？
BILL。 Whyanything？ I didn't make myself。
LADY CHESHIRE。 I'm afraid we did that。 It was inconsiderate；
perhaps。
BILL。 Yes； you'd better have left me out。
LADY CHESHIRE。 But why are you so Only a little fuss about money！
BILL。 Ye…es。
LADY CHESHIRE。 You're not keeping anything from me； are you？
BILL。 ＇Facing her＇ No。 ＇He then turns very deliberately to the
writing things； and takes up a pen＇ I must write these letters；
please。
LADY CHESHIRE。 Bill； if there's any real trouble； you will tell me；
won't you？
BILL。 There's nothing whatever。
He suddenly gets up and walks about。 LADY CHESHIRE； too； moves
over to the fireplace； and after an uneasy look at him； turns to
the fire。 Then； as if trying to switch of his mood； she changes
the subject abruptly。
LADY CHESHIRE。 Isn't it a pity about young Dunning？ I'm so sorry
for Rose Taylor。
There is a silence。 Stealthily under the staircase FREDA has
entered； and seeing only BILL； advances to speak to him。
BILL。 ＇Suddenly＇ Oh！ well；you can't help these things in the
country。
As he speaks； FREDA stops dead； perceiving that he is not alone；
BILL； too； catching sight of her； starts。
LADY CHESHIRE。 ＇Still speaking to the fire＇ It seems dreadful to
force him。 I do so believe in people doing things of their own
accord。 ＇Then seeing FREDA standing so uncertainly by the stairs＇ Do
you want me； Freda？
FREDA。 Only your cloak； my lady。 Shall Ibegin it？
At this moment SIR WILLIAM enters from the drawing…room。
LADY CHESHIRE。 Yes； yes。
SIR WILLIAM。 ＇Genially＇ Can you give me another five minutes； Bill？
＇Pointing to the billiard…room＇ We'll come directly； my dear。
FREDA； with a look at BILL； has gone back whence she came； and
LADY CHESHIRE goes reluctantly away into the billiard…room。
SIR WILLIAM。 I shall give young Dunning short shrift。 ＇He moves
over to the fireplace and divides hip coat…tails＇ Now； about you；
Bill！ I don't want to bully you the moment you come down； but you
know； this can't go on。 I've paid your debts twice。 Shan't pay them
this time unless I see a disposition to change your mode of life。
＇A pause＇ You get your extravagance from your mother。 She's very
queer＇A pause＇All the Winterleighs are like that about money。。。。
BILL。 Mother's particularly generous； if that's what you mean。
SIR WILLIAM。 ＇Drily＇ We will put it that way。