MRS. TIMBRELL. [_To MARY._] Sit down, my dear. [_EDGAR gives MARY a chair. She sits down._] MARY. Thank you, ma'am. LEONARD. [_To himself or the world._] Beautiful. Beautiful. TIMBRELL. [_Starting._] What! LEONARD. I said it was beautiful. TIMBRELL. What's beautiful? LEONARD. Mary and my Mother; and you, if you like. The whole thing. TIMBRELL. What does he mean? EDGAR. Is your share in it beautiful, too? LEONARD. That doesn't matter. I see it all. TIMBRELL. [_To MARY._] What are you stopping here for? Have you no sense of shame? [_MARY stands up._] I don't want to be hard on you. I daresay you're less to blame than he is. I don't know. It's a disagraceful affair. Disagraceful. Now, be off. Be off. Please go. MARY. But I want to hear what he says. TIMBRELL. Yes. So do I. LEONARD. The devil of it is that I say anything. If you get me into a fix I just want to get out of it. TIMBRELL. That's your character, is it? LEONARD. From your point of view, sir, I'm afraid I'm a bad lot. TIMBRELL. What good are you to anybody? Why were you born? LEONARD. That's your concern, sir. TIMBRELL. Don't bandy words with me. You should be down on your knees asking pardon of this poor girl, of your Mother, of your God. What are such things to you? LEONARD. I'm extremely sorry. Of course I've no defence. I should have to go back to some kind of first principles and even then it'd be a bit shaky I daresay. Mother, it's horrible for you. I see that. TIMBRELL. But have you nothing to say? Do you think this is adequate? What are you going to do? What's your way out? LEONARD. You have a better head than I have, sir, for these practical matters. TIMBRELL. You are a callous and impudent fellow. [_To MARY._] What have you got to say? MARY. I can't make out how much he cares. LEONARD. [_To MARY._] I don't know what to say to you. I can't talk to you in public. This is a new aspect of the thing entirely. What's the use of telling you I'm sorry? MARY. Are you sorry? LEONARD. Well, yes. EDGAR. Is the beauty of the scene waning? LEONARD. [_To EDGAR._] You'll want another best man. Well, Sheila didn't want me. EDGAR. Don't speak of Sheila here. LEONARD. Why not? EDGAR. Your own sense of decency might tell you. LEONARD. [_Passionately._] In all my life I never said anything as bad as that. Never anything as unkind, as evil, as abominable. EDGAR. Why, what do you mean? LEONARD. To insult her now! EDGAR. You're a fine fellow to talk of-- TIMBRELL. Silence. This is no time for such bickering. [_To MARY._] Just leave the room. LEONARD. Don't speak to her like that. TIMBRELL. Are you addressing me? LEONARD. Yes. You must treat her well. TIMBRELL. Treat her!--What are you to talk of treating her well? Besides, I am treating her well. I think she will agree that I have shown the greatest forebearance. A fellow who has an intrigue with a servant and then-- LEONARD. A servant! TIMBRELL. What is she? LEONARD. You make these distinctions.