PERCIVAL. Lord Summerhays: I appeal to you. Have I done the correct thing or not? LORD SUMMERHAYS. Youve done your best, Mr Percival. But the correct thing depends for its success on everybody playing the game very strictly. As a single-handed game, it's impossible. BENTLEY. _[suddenly breaking out lamentably]_ Joey: have you taken Hypatia away from me? LORD SUMMERHAYS. _[severely]_ Bentley! Bentley! Control yourself, sir. TARLETON. Come, Mr Percival! the shutters are up on the gentlemanly business. Try the truth. PERCIVAL. I am in a wretched position. If I tell the truth nobody will believe me. TARLETON. Oh yes they will. The truth makes everybody believe it. PERCIVAL. It also makes everybody pretend not to believe it. Mrs Tarleton: youre not playing the game. MRS TARLETON. I dont think youve behaved at all nicely, Mr Percival. BENTLEY. I wouldnt have played you such a dirty trick, Joey. _[Struggling with a sob]_ You beast. LORD SUMMERHAYS. Bentley: you must control yourself. Let me say at the same time, Mr Percival, that my son seems to have been mistaken in regarding you either as his friend or as a gentleman. PERCIVAL. Miss Tarleton: I'm suffering this for your sake. I ask you just to say that I am not to blame. Just that and nothing more. HYPATIA. _[gloating mischievously over his distress]_ You chased me through the heather and kissed me. You shouldnt have done that if you were not in earnest. PERCIVAL. Oh, this is really the limit. _[Turning desperately to Gunner]_ Sir: I appeal to you. As a gentleman! as a man of honor! as a man bound to stand by another man! You were in that Turkish bath. You saw how it began. Could any man have behaved more correctly than I did? Is there a shadow of foundation for the accusations brought against me? GUNNER. _[sorely perplexed]_ Well, what do you want me to say? JOHNNY. He has said what he had to say already, hasnt he? Read that paper. GUNNER. When I tell the truth, you make me go back on it. And now you want me to go back on myself! What is a man to do? PERCIVAL. _[patiently]_ Please try to get your mind clear, Mr Brown. I pointed out to you that you could not, as a gentleman, disparage a lady's character. You agree with me, I hope. GUNNER. Yes: that sounds all right. PERCIVAL. But youre also bound to tell the truth. Surely youll not deny that. GUNNER. Who's denying it? I say nothing against it. PERCIVAL. Of course not. Well, I ask you to tell the truth simply and unaffectedly. Did you witness any improper conduct on my part when you were in the bath? GUNNER. No, sir. JOHNNY. | Then what do you mean by saying that-- | HYPATIA. | Do you mean to say that I-- | BENTLEY. | Oh, you are a rotter. Youre afraid--