THE MAN. _[looking at Lina in amazement]_ Beaten by a female! It needed only this. _[He collapses in the chair near the worktable, and hides his face. They cannot help pitying him]._ LINA. Old pal: dont call the police. Lend him a bicycle and let him get away. THE MAN. I cant ride a bicycle. I never could afford one. I'm not even that much good. TARLETON. If I gave you a hundred pound note now to go and have a good spree with, I wonder would you know how to set about it. Do you ever take a holiday? THE MAN. Take! I got four days last August. TARLETON. What did you do? THE MAN. I did a cheap trip to Folkestone. I spent sevenpence on dropping pennies into silly automatic machines and peepshows of rowdy girls having a jolly time. I spent a penny on the lift and fourpence on refreshments. That cleaned me out. The rest of the time I was so miserable that I was glad to get back to the office. Now you know. LINA. Come to the gymnasium: I'll teach you how to make a man of yourself. _[The man is about to rise irresolutely, from the mere habit of doing what he is told, when Tarleton stops him]._ TARLETON. Young man: dont. Youve tried to shoot me; but I'm not vindictive. I draw the line at putting a man on the rack. If you want every joint in your body stretched until it's an agony to live--until you have an unnatural feeling that all your muscles are singing and laughing with pain--then go to the gymnasium with that lady. But youll be more comfortable in jail. LINA. _[greatly amused]_ Was that why you went away, old pal? Was that the telegram you said you had forgotten to send? _Mrs Tarleton comes in hastily through the inner door._ MRS TARLETON. _[on the steps]_ Is anything the matter, John? Nurse says she heard you calling me a quarter of an hour ago; and that your voice sounded as if you were ill. _[She comes between Tarleton and the man.]_ Is anything the matter? TARLETON. This is the son of an old friend of mine. Mr--er--Mr Gunner. _[To the man, who rises awkwardly]._ My wife. MRS TARLETON. Good evening to you. GUNNER. Er-- _[He is too nervous to speak, and makes a shambling bow]._ _Bentley looks in at the pavilion door, very peevish, and too preoccupied with his own affairs to pay any attention to those of the company._ BENTLEY. I say: has anybody seen Hypatia? She promised to come out with me; and I cant find her anywhere. And wheres Joey? GUNNER. _[suddenly breaking out aggressively, being incapable of any middle way between submissiveness and violence]_ _I_ can tell you where Hypatia is. I can tell you where Joey is. And I say it's a scandal and an infamy. If people only knew what goes on in this so-called respectable house it would be put a stop to. These are the morals of our pious capitalist class! This is your rotten bourgeoisie! This!-- MRS TARLETON. Dont you dare use such language in company. I wont allow it.