LILY. [_impatiently._] Yes, I know. Well, you've done better than she, anyway, Maggie, if she _is_ going to Canada. She'll only be a servant, after all. What else can she do? And then in the end she'll marry some farmer man and have to work fearfully hard--I've heard about the women over there--and wish she had _never_ left England. While here are you, going to marry a rich man who's _devoted_ to you, with plenty of money and long holidays, and your own servant to begin with! Really, Maggie--! MAGGIE. [_stretching a little and smiling._] Isn't it gorgeous? [_shaking herself._] Well--it must be Mr. Tennant's fault. He shouldn't get mad ideas into his head-- LILY. And he really is mad. Throwing up a most _excellent_ situation. My dear, I call him just stupid! CHARLEY. [_lifting the curtain and coming forward with LESLIE._] There's no hurry. LESLIE. Oh, I'll start on it to-night. My wife's gone away and left me for the day, and I'm a forsaken grass widower. LILY. [_laughing._] Poor Mr. Leslie! Won't you come in here to-night? Don't you think it would be very nice, Charley, as Mr. Tennant is going so soon-- LESLIE. Tennant? Where's he going? MAGGIE. _You'll_ never guess. LESLIE. He's leaving you? He's going to get married? CHAR. [_impatiently._] You're as bad as a woman! MAGGIE. I thought you more brilliant, Mr. Leslie. LESLIE. I thought of the happiest thing that could happen to a man, Miss Maggie. LILY. No, it's not marrying. He's going abroad. LESLIE. Got a fortune? MAGGIE. He's just going to try his luck. He's emigrating. LESLIE. What a fool! He's got the sack, I suppose? MAGGIE. No. He's thrown it up. LESLIE. Thrown up a safe job? Oh, he's an ass, a stupid ass! You surely don't ask me to come and wish good luck to an ass? MAGGIE. You can help with a dirge then. LESLIE. Much more like it. But, I say, is it really true? He must have got something to go to? CHAR. He hasn't. He's got a little cash, of course. He's always been a careful beast. LESLIE. And he's going to throw it away! And then I suppose he'll be out of work over there, and we shall be hearing of the unemployment in the Colonies! It's just this sort of thing that makes a man a Conservative. It's what I call getting off the ladder and deliberately kicking it down. CHAR. Well, I don't then. I think he's a lucky chap to be able to do something he likes. He's got some pluck. LILY. Why, dear, you know you think it's very silly of him! LESLIE. [_laughing._] You must look after your husband, Mrs. Wilson, I can see. He'll be running away. Well, so long, old chap! I'll come back later. Just give me a hitch over the wall. You'll be sorry about those beans next week. [_Pause._] _They go out. A crash is heard._ CHAR. Hullo! What's up? LESLIE. [_in the distance._] Smashed a box of tomato plants. Phew! _LILY, laughing, goes out with MAGGIE._ _A long whistle--CHARLEY comes back into the room and stands looking into the fire. Pause._ _Enter TENNANT R._