CHARLEY. [_digging his hands into the pockets without turning down his sleeves again._] I don't think anything of the kind. What I do know is that if I had a chance I could farm land with anybody. _Do_ you think I chose this beastly business of quill-driving because it's the best work I know. Do you? LESLIE. I don't suppose you chose it at all. Your father chose it for you. PERCY. [_to CHARLEY._] Well, I say, what's the matter with it? CHARLEY. You wait till you're a few years older. LESLIE. Wilson's caught the land fever. Take up an allotment--that'll cure you. Your garden isn't big enough. Have you got that map, Tennant? TENNANT. It's in my room. Shall we go up? LESLIE. Is there a fire? TENNANT. No. LESLIE. Bring it down, there's a good chap. I like to take things comfortable. I'll wait down here. _TENNANT goes out R._ _LESLIE rises; goes back to the front room._ PERCY. I say, Charley-- CHARLEY. Well? PERCY. I've got a rise. CHARLEY. Congratulations--wish I had. PERCY. Foster's given me Beckett's job. CHARLEY. And Beckett? PERCY. Well, he's got the sack, you know. It's a bit rough on him, but I couldn't help it, could I? CHARLEY. I suppose you're doing it cheaper? PERCY. That's about the line. I'm awfully sorry for Beckett. He's not young, and it's awfully hard to get anything when you're middle-aged. CHARLEY. So I believe. Well, anyhow, you're in luck--aren't you? PERCY. Yes, it's sooner than I thought. _They sit in silence._ _TENNANT re-enters, and goes into inner room._ I say, Charley, what did you start on? CHARLEY. Eh? What d'ye mean? PERCY. You--and--and Lily--you know. _CHARLEY looks at him steadily._ CHARLEY. Oh, that's it, is it? PERCY. You didn't begin with a house, of course. CHARLEY. You know as well as I do that we had three rooms--and jolly small ones. PERCY. Still you were comfortable. CHARLEY. It was warm--winter and summer. PERCY. It wasn't very expensive? CHARLEY. You have to choose your housekeeper carefully. PERCY. If you're going to chaff-- CHARLEY. Don't be an idiot. You've now got ninety, I suppose. You can manage on that. PERCY. You really think so? CHARLEY. I know from experience. PERCY. You don't ask who the lady is? CHARLEY. Sybil is a pretty little girl. PERCY. Well, I suppose you did guess a bit. CHARLEY. Not me! Maggie and Lil did it between them. PERCY. Did it? CHARLEY. Made the match--Maggie told me. PERCY. [_indignantly._] They did nothing of the kind. I met Sybil here and . . . CHARLEY. 'Um--um! PERCY. We just came together--it was bound to be. _There is a sound of laughter outside and LILY and SYBIL are seen carrying in cakes and lemonade._ CHARLEY. She _is_ pretty-- PERCY. Yes, in rather an unusual-- CHARLEY. But so are others. PERCY. I say, old man. CHARLEY. Well, aren't they? I suppose you won't listen to advice. PERCY. What about? CHARLEY. You're too young to marry. PERCY. I'm twenty-three. So were you when you married. CHARLEY. I was too young.