KIT. [_Serenely_] Oh, well-- SYDNEY. [_She finds his chuckle infectious_] What did he say? KIT. Oh, lots of rot, of course, about being too young. But he was quite bucked really until-- SYDNEY. Well? KIT. Well, I was a fool. I said something, quite by chance, about your father. Then the fur began to fly. You see, it seems he thought your mother was a widow-- SYDNEY. [_Ruffling up_] What’s it got to do with him? KIT. Well, you see-- SYDNEY. If you’d only make me see instead of you-seeing me all the time. KIT. I’m afraid of hurting your feelings. SYDNEY. I’m not nineteenth century. KIT. [_Desperately_] Well, my people are. SYDNEY. Well? KIT. That’s the trouble--my people are! Father promptly began about not seeing his way to-- SYDNEY. To what, Kit? KIT. To--to marrying them. SYDNEY. But I’ve never heard of anything so crazy. KIT. Of course, you know, there’s nothing to worry about. There are heaps of clergymen who will. SYDNEY. My dear boy, if Mother isn’t married in her own parish church she’ll think she’s living in sin. KIT. Well, there it is! SYDNEY. But look here, the old rector knew all about it. Do you mean to say that a new man can come into our parish and insult Mother just because his beastly conscience doesn’t work the same way the old rector’s did? The divorce is perfectly legal. KIT. [_In great discomfort_] Yes, Father knows all that. [_Hopefully_] Of course, I don’t see myself why a registry office-- SYDNEY. If it were me I’d prefer it. Much less fuss. But Mother wouldn’t. KIT. But she ought to see-- SYDNEY. But she won’t. It’s no use reckoning on what people ought to be. You’ve got to deal with them as they are. KIT. [_Guiltily_] Well, I’m awfully sorry. SYDNEY. It’s no use being sorry. We’ve got to do something. KIT. [_Hopelessly_] When once the old man gets an idea into his head-- SYDNEY. He’d better not let it out in front of Mother. Gray’d half kill him if he did. And I tell you this, Kit, what Gray leaves I’ll account for, even if he is your father. Poor little Mother! KIT. Well I’m all on your side, you know that. But of course, Sydney, a clergyman needn’t re-marry divorced people. It’s in that bill. The governor was quoting it to-day. SYDNEY. But doesn’t he know the circumstances? KIT. He only knows what I do. SYDNEY. One doesn’t shout things at people, naturally. But it’s nothing to be ashamed of. It’s only that my unfortunate father has been in an asylum ever since I can remember. Shell-shock. It began before I was born. He never came home again. Mother had to give up going to see him even. It seemed to make him worse. KIT. Pretty tragic. SYDNEY. Oh, for years now he hasn’t known anyone, luckily. And he’s well looked after. He’s quite all right. KIT. [_Uncomfortably_] You’re a queer girl. SYDNEY. But he is. KIT. Yes--but-- SYDNEY. What? KIT. Your own father--