SCENE--_A flight of steps by the lake in the grounds of the Insel Hotel, Constance. Time, late afternoon. A small boat, containing three persons, is just visible far out on the glassy grey-green water. BOB PRENDERGAST and PODBUBY are perched side by side on a parapet, smoking disconsolately._ _Podbury._ Do they look at all as if they meant to come in? I tell you what, BOB, vote we row out to them and tell them they'll be late for _table d'hôte_. Eh? [_He knocks out his pipe._ _Prendergast_ (_phlegmatically_). Only be late for it ourselves if we do. They'll come in when they want to. _Podb._ It's not safe for your sister,--I'm hanged if it is--going out in a boat with a duffer like CULCHARD! He'll upset her as sure as eggs. _Prend._ (_with fraternal serenity_). With pin-oars? Couldn't if he tried! And they've a man with them, too. The less I see of that chap CULCHARD the better. I did hope we'd choked him off at Nuremberg. I hate the sight of his supercilious old mug! _Podb._ You can't hate it more than I do--but what can I do? (_Pathetically._) I've tried rotting him, but somehow he always manages to get the best of it in the end. I never saw such a beggar to hang on! [Illustration: "Gets up and quits the room with dignity."] _Prend._ What on earth made you ask him to come on here, after he declared he wouldn't? _Podb._ I! _I_ ask him? He settled it all with your sister. How could _I_ help it? _Prend._ I'd do _something_. Why can't you tell him right out he ain't wanted? _I_ would--like a shot! _Podb._ It's not so easy to tell him as you think. We haven't been on speaking terms these three days. And, after all (_feebly_) we're supposed to be travelling together, don't you know! _You_ might drop him a hint now. _Prend._ Don't see how I can very well--not on my own hook. Might lead to ructions with HYPATIA, too. _Podb._ (_anxiously_). BOB, you--you don't think your sister really--eh? _Prend._ HYPATIA's a rum girl--always was. She certainly don't seem to object to your friend CULCHARD. What the dickens she can see in him, I don't know!--but it's no use my putting _my_ oar in. She'd only jump on _me_, y'know! _Podb._ (_rising_). Then I _must_. If that's what he's really after, I think I can stop his little game. I'll try, at any rate. It's a long worm that has no turning, and I've had about enough of it. The first chance I get. I'll go for him. _Prend._ Good luck to you, old chap. There, they're coming in now. We'd better go in and change, eh? We've none too much time. [_They go in._