GERALD (annoyed). Oh, shut up about going to prison! There's not the slightest chance of your going to prison. You know perfectly well, if there were, that I'd walk on my hands and knees to London to-night to try and stop it. As it is, I have promised to play for the county; it's a particularly important match, and I don't think it's fair to let them down. Anyway, if I did, the whole family would want to know why, and I don't suppose you want to tell them that yet. BOB (mumbling). You could say the Foreign Office had rung you up. GERALD (earnestly). Really, Bob old boy, I'm sure you're making too much of it. Dammit! you've done nothing wrong; what is there to worry about? And if it's only a question of money, we'll manage it on our heads, somehow. I'll come up directly the match is over. It may be Tuesday night, with luck. BOB (grumbling). If the weather's like this, it's bound to last three days. GERALD. Then at the worst, I'll come first train Thursday morning. That I promise. Anyway, why don't you consult Wentworth? He's a good chap and he knows all about the law. He could probably help you much more than I could. BOB. I suppose you think I _like_ talking about it to everybody. GERALD (getting up and touching BOB gently on the shoulder as he goes past him). Poor old Bob! But you're as right as anything. I'll come up by the first train on Thursday and we'll--good Lord! BOB. What's the matter now? GERALD. I am a damned fool! Why, of course, we arranged-- BOB (sneeringly). And now you can't come on Thursday, I suppose. GERALD. Why, you see, I arranged-- BOB. You _must_ keep your promise to the county, but you needn't keep your promise to me. GERALD. Yes, but the trouble is I promised Pamela--oh, well, that will have to go; she'll understand. All right, Bob, that holds. Directly the match is over I come. And for the Lord's sake, keep smiling till then. BOB. It's all very well for _you_.... I wish you could have--well, anyhow, I suppose Thursday's better than nothing. You'll see just how it is then. (Getting up) You won't say anything about it to the others? GERALD. Of course not. What about Pamela? Does she know anything? BOB. She knows that I'm worried about something, but of course she doesn't know what I've told you. GERALD. All right, then I won't tell her anything. At least, I'll just say that bananas remain firm at 127, and that I've got to go and see my broker about it. (Smiling) Something like that. (BOB goes towards the garden, while GERALD stops to wait for PAMELA. At the door he turns round.) BOB (awkwardly). Er--thanks. [Exit.] (GERALD throws him a nod, as much as to say, "That's all right." He stands looking after him, gives a little sigh, laughs and says to himself, "Poor old Bob!" He is half-sitting on, half-leaning against the table, thinking it all over, when PAMELA comes in again.) PAMELA. I waited for him to go; I knew he wanted to talk to you about something. Gerald, he is all right, isn't he?