MAGGIE. He's twenty-two. CHARLEY. What's that? MAGGIE. Lots of men marry at twenty-two. CHARLEY. More fools they! Getting tied up before they've seen anything. MAGGIE. [_thoughtfully._] I can never understand why a man gets married. He's got so many chances to see the world and do things--and then he goes and marries and settles down and is a family man before he's twenty-four. CHARLEY. It's a habit. MAGGIE. If I were a man I wouldn't stay in England another week. I wouldn't be a quill-driver all my life. _CHARLEY gets up and walks restlessly up and down the room._ If I were a man-- CHARLEY. Men can't do everything. MAGGIE. I say, don't you think it's fine of Mr. Tennant to throw up everything and take the risk? CHARLEY. I'd do the same if . . . LILY. [_coming forward a little._] Where's Charley? Oh, never mind, I daresay he's got a lantern and is looking for worms or something. Are you ready, Mr. Tennant? MAGGIE. I wonder what Lil would say if you did! _CHARLEY stops dead and looks at MAGGIE._ CHARLEY. If I _did?_ What are you talking about? MAGGIE. Why shouldn't you? CHARLEY. Why shouldn't I? Aren't there a thousand reasons? MAGGIE. There's Lily, certainly--but . . . CHARLEY. She wouldn't understand. She'd think I was deserting her. _A pause._ But that's not all. I might manage her--I don't know--but--you see, I've got a berth I can stay in all my life . . . _TENNANT starts singing the first verse of "Off to Philadelphia."_ It's like throwing up a dead cert. And then. . . . MAGGIE. It _would_ be a splash. CHARLEY. Yes--and think of all your people? What'd they say? They'd say I was running away from Lil--of course, it would seem like it. . . . _Another pause._ It's impossible. I might never get anything to do--and then-- _His voice is suddenly drowned as the front room party sing the chorus "With my Knapsack," etc. Knock at front door._ I-- MAGGIE. I believe I heard a knock. _She goes out in corridor as TENNANT commences the second verse._ _CHARLEY sits on the edge of the table watching and listening. The door opens and MAGGIE enters, followed by FENWICK. FENWICK is a man of middle age, short and slight, with a quiet, rather crushed manner._ MAGGIE. Mr. Fenwick didn't want to come in when he heard all the singing. He thought we had a party. _She goes through curtains._ CHARLEY. Oh, it's nothing--a sort of family sing-song. FENWICK. Miss Massey would have me come in--but really I'd rather come some other-- CHARLEY. Stuff! Sit down. I'll pull the curtains if it's anything special you've come about. I thought it was perhaps over those geranium cuttings. Afterwards, if you feel like it, we'll go and join them. [_Draws curtains and turns up light._] Freddy Tennant--you know him, don't you--he's going to seek his fortune in the Colonies. FEN. Is he? CHARLEY. Yes, and we'll drink his health. What's up? FEN. I didn't see you at the train to-day. CHARLEY. No, you were late. I came on with Malcolm.