CHARLEY. So _she_ won't do the washing. I shall never be rich. LILY. You'll be head clerk one of these days. CHARLEY. One of these days! LILY. And then we'll have a servant. CHARLEY. Perhaps I shall never be head clerk. LILY. Oh, yes, you will! CHARLEY. I don't know that I'm excited at the idea--a sort of policeman over the other chaps. I'd rather be as I am. LILY. But think of the position--and the money! _CHARLEY nods gloomily--he walks to garden door._ Where's your ambition, dear? CHARLEY. Perfectly safe. No fear of that getting lost. The man who built that road [_pointing out of the window_] ought to be hanged. LILY. They're not very pretty, those houses. Mrs. Freeman told me this morning that they're going to raise our rents a little. CHARLEY. [_turning round sharply._] What? _That's_ because they've brought the fares down. Just like 'em. LILY. I was thinking this morning, dear, that perhaps we could take two boarders. It would help a little. That little room at the back, over the scullery, would do nicely with a single bed. CHARLEY. That's where I keep my cuttings and things. LILY. Yes, dear, but you could have half the coal shed. We never fill it. CHARLEY. I don't want the coal shed. I say--must we have two? LILY. It would make things better, dear. CHARLEY. But it's beastly, choking up your house with a lot of fellers. _You_ don't like it, do you? LILY. No, dear, of course not. CHARLEY. You don't seem much put out. LILY. It's no good being cross about it, dear, is it? If it's got to be done, we may as well make the best of it. CHARLEY. Oh, make the best of it. [_Fretfully._] You might at least seem vexed. LILY. [_patiently._] Of course I don't like it, dear, and of course I'd much rather be alone with you and have all my house to myself--though really the boarders don't worry much, you know. They are always home late and only have meals with us. CHARLEY. Who wants 'em at meals? I don't, if you do! LILY. [_pathetically._] You are very unkind. I never said I wanted them. I'm only doing my best to make things smooth. You might help me, Charley. [_She turns away._] CHARLEY. [_crossing to LILY and patting her on her hand._] I'll be all right later. But I say it is a bit thick. An Englishman's home is his castle. I like that! Why, the only place where you can be alone is the bedroom. We'll be letting that next. [_He laughs sarcastically._] LILY. [_shocked._] Charley! What are you saying? CHARLEY. Ha, ha, what a joke! The--well, never mind. The day we let the bathroom, Lil--I'm off to the Colonies. [_He stops, suddenly struck with a thought._] LILY. You silly boy. CHARLEY. Supposing I did, eh? LILY. We're not going to let the bathroom, so you needn't suppose anything. CHARLEY. [_abstractedly--sitting on a corner of the table._] Why not? LILY. Did you speak, dear? CHARLEY. [_starting._] Eh?--No, no!--nothing. _LILY goes, closing door._ CURTAIN ACT II