LEONARD. And how are we all getting on together? All a happy family? I believe it's you that will unite us yet, Mary. TIMBRELL. I've got to talk with you about a few arrangements. And I should like to say before you Leonard that your Mother and I have come to the conclusion that you owe a great deal to your wife and that her influence is a beneficent one. We are pleased--very much pleased-- LEONARD. What is it you're thinking about, Mary. There's something inscrutable in you. It seems to me that we're just as uncomfortable as ever. Mother, let's have a little motherliness or something. I don't know how it is but I want cheering up. I came from the station most penitentially in a growler--an ancient fourwheeler. It made me think of your father, Mary. How is that good man? Got a job all right? By-the-bye, there's an extraordinary upset at our place. I wanted to ask you about that. A lot of tin trunks with cords round them and things. Are we leaving? Are we going away? MARY. I'm going away. LEONARD. } { You are! TIMBRELL. } [_Together._] { Going away! MRS. TIMBRELL. } { Mary! MARY. I'm going to call for the boxes and things when I leave here. LEONARD. Mary, where are you going? MARY. [_Looking steadily at him._] To Canada. LEONARD. Alone? MARY. No. TIMBRELL. What? What's that? MARY. [_Still looking at LEONARD._] I'm going with George Truefit. LEONARD. Don't do that, Mary. Don't do that. TIMBRELL. What do you mean? George Truefit? LEONARD. You are leaving me to go with George Truefit? MARY. Yes. LEONARD. Can you do that? Can you really do that? MRS. TIMBRELL. Don't be hasty, Mary. Think about this. TIMBRELL. Do you mean to say--Who is George Truefit? MRS. TIMBRELL. He was our milkman. He gave us notice a few weeks ago that he was going out of the business. LEONARD. In order to elope with Mary? Did he mention that? TIMBRELL. Do you mean that you are leaving your husband and going away with this person? MARY. Yes. TIMBRELL. I can't believe it. I can't understand it. LEONARD. Mary, I'd like to talk to you about this. MARY. I'll hear what you have to say. LEONARD. Not here. Not now. I want you alone. MARY. It's only reasons I want. You can give those here. LEONARD. Mother, talk to her. MRS. TIMBRELL. You've startled me, Mary. It seems very dreadful. MARY. I'm sorry Ma'am. TIMBRELL. [_To LEONARD._] Confound you, sir, are you going to let your wife go like this? LEONARD. [_He knows in his heart that MARY will not be shaken and his efforts to retain her seem perfunctory._] What do I do? What's the right thing? Must I call out Truefit? Or assassinate him? Is there such a person? He sounds to me like a myth or a symbol or something. Mary, will you swear that there is a George Truefit? MARY. I'll swear that. LEONARD. This is the strangest thing that has ever happened to me. MARY. I thought it would surprise you. LEONARD. But Mary, you're my wife.