TIMBRELL. [_To EDGAR._] Stay where you are. LEONARD. Mary, you know it's impossible. MARY. Yes, Mr. Leonard. LEONARD. Mary refuses. TIMBRELL. So much the worse for you. LEONARD. But if she refuses-- TIMBRELL. Out you go into the street. MRS. TIMBRELL. That can't be. TIMBRELL. That shall be. LEONARD. Oh! This is all very absurd. We are not being practical at all. Mary, I'm sorry. It's no good you and me marrying. Now is it? MARY. I suppose not, Mr. Leonard. I don't know what I'm going to do, though. LEONARD. My father can give you a bit of that £300 a year he talks about. And then--Oh! of course, I don't know. I should like to act handsomely but what can I do? This talk of marriage--frankly--is a bit of antiquated Puritanism. Mary, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry. You're a good girl. I'm all to blame. [_He turns to his father who sits grimly silent, then to his mother._] Mother, you settle it. MRS. TIMBRELL. I don't know how. LEONARD. You parents are in a middle stage. Once you'd just have been brutal to the girl. I don't mean you, but parents generally. Presently we may have more sense. I'm a selfish brute but I've got some sense. But I'm powerless. [_To his father._] Haven't you any imagination? It's all very fine to make a scene here and put down your foot and coerce me into your beastly righteousness but think of the years to come. Do you see us married? Do you see our married life? Forgive me, Mary. TIMBRELL. You shall make an honest woman of her. LEONARD. A fine old phrase, that. TIMBRELL. I'm not ashamed of it. LEONARD. Why shouldn't she be a happy mother without fear and without shame? Mary, don't make that ridiculous mistake of thinking yourself disgraced. MARY. But I am disgraced. LEONARD. You are not--Not in the eyes of any reasonable human being. MARY. Then the people I know aren't reasonable. LEONARD. Have you a father and mother? MARY. Yes. LEONARD. And they would--they are-- MARY. They are very respectable. LEONARD. I see, I see. Yes. MRS. TIMBRELL. Didn't you tell me you were 'keeping company' with someone? MARY. I was walking out, ma'am. I wasn't keeping company. LEONARD. I'm afraid I don't appreciate the difference. MARY. There is a difference. MRS. TIMBRELL. Have you seen him lately? MARY. Yes, ma'am. LEONARD. [_Very quietly._] Would he marry you now? [_TIMBRELL starts in his chair, but does not speak. MARY gives a gasp that is almost a sob._] I know I'm a brute. Would he marry you, Mary? MRS. TIMBRELL. No, no, no, no. MARY. George Truefit's a good man. I wouldn't ask him to marry me now. LEONARD. But if he cares for you he ought to want to marry you now. MARY. You think you understand things but you don't. TIMBRELL. Mary, will you marry my son? MARY. He'd hate me. TIMBRELL. Nonsense, will you marry him? MARY. I'd like to marry someone. I've got to face my father. He'll be nasty. LEONARD. May I point out to you, sir--