LEONARD. Shall I explain to you what a promise is? MARY. I know. LEONARD. Ah! Yes. It would spoil you to understand these things; and I'm losing all my lightness of touch. I was rather stupid just now with Mrs. Greaves. I didn't handle it well. MARY. You must go to your father and tell him how we are. It's different now I'm frightened about little Leonard. I'll go if you don't. I can get milk. I don't want to do it but if I must I will. LEONARD. Milk! MARY. You heard her say that Mr. Whales wouldn't let us have any more. George Truefit will let me have some. LEONARD. George Truefit? MARY. Yes, I shall be ashamed to go to him but I'll do it. LEONARD. I had forgotten about George Truefit. MARY. I hadn't. LEONARD. My rival, the milkman, isn't he? MARY. Yes, he's a milkman. LEONARD. There's something rather piquant in this. I wonder whether George Truefit would appreciate it. I suppose he wouldn't poison the milk? MARY. Poison the milk! LEONARD. No, I _am_ getting a bit heavy-handed. That's stupid. What is he like? What's George like? MARY. He's--he's--you know where you've got him. LEONARD. A fine fellow, is he? MARY. You can trust him. LEONARD. That's something, isn't it? MARY. A good deal. LEONARD. [_Sharply._] Now, now, now. You're contrasting him with me. You're thinking that I can't be trusted. You mustn't do that. Weren't you, now? MARY. I was thinking of you both. LEONARD. You're married to me, Mary. MARY. I'm not complaining. LEONARD. Do you love me, Mary? MARY. [_After a short pause._] Sometimes I think I do. LEONARD. Do you think I love you? MARY. Do you? LEONARD. Sometimes _I_ think I do. I'm a bit afraid of you, though? MARY. Of me? Afraid? LEONARD. I'm afraid of the truth. I'm afraid of the hardness at the back of things. I like ideas and changes and poses and all the rest of it. You make me uneasy. MARY. I shall never understand you. LEONARD. I think you understand me very well. It's only the things I say you don't understand. Poor girl. I bewilder you. You're quite right. I'm what you see. You keep thinking you don't understand and that I may be better than that. You're a brave, humble person. By God! There's no one like you. I wish I was different. I wish I was like George Truefit. MARY. Only a little bit like him. Yourself, too. LEONARD. What must I do to be saved? MARY. Now, you're talking queer again. LEONARD. What is it you want? I see you watching me anxiously sometimes. I can't make myself into another person but I'd like to please you. What do you want me to do? MARY. I suppose it's a lot of little things. LEONARD. Yes, yes. Can you tell me some of them? MARY. While we're talking here you might have gone for the doctor. LEONARD. The doctor? MARY. You forget him. You often forget all about little Leonard. [_Rising._] I must go to him. LEONARD. Ah! Yes. Mrs. Greaves said he was peaked. Peaked! Good word isn't it? Shakespeare has it, you know: "Shall he dwindle, peak and pine"--