ELIZABETH. How do you know she wouldn't be just the same now if she'd remained your wife? Do you think your influence would have had such a salutary effect on her? C.-C. [_Good-humouredly._] I like you when you're bitter and rather insolent. ELIZABETH. D'you like me enough to answer my question? C.-C. She was only twenty-seven when she went away. She might have become anything. She might have become the woman you expected her to be. There are very few of us who are strong enough to make circumstances serve us. We are the creatures of our environment. She's a silly, worthless woman because she's led a silly, worthless life. ELIZABETH. [_Disturbed._] You're horrible to-day. C.-C. I don't say it's I who could have prevented her from becoming this ridiculous caricature of a pretty woman grown old. But life could. Here she would have had the friends fit to her station, and a decent activity, and worthy interests. Ask her what her life has been all these years among divorced women and kept women and the men who consort with them. There is no more lamentable pursuit than a life of pleasure. ELIZABETH. At all events she loved and she loved greatly. I have only pity and affection for her. C.-C. And if she loved what d'you think she felt when she saw that she had ruined Hughie? Look at him. He was tight last night after dinner and tight the night before. ELIZABETH. I know. C.-C. And she took it as a matter of course. How long do you suppose he's been getting tight every night? Do you think he was like that thirty years ago? Can you imagine that that was a brilliant young man, whom everyone expected to be Prime Minister? Look at him now. A grumpy sodden old fellow with false teeth. ELIZABETH. You have false teeth, too. C.-C. Yes, but damn it all, they fit. She's ruined him and she knows she's ruined him. ELIZABETH. [_Looking at him suspiciously._] Why are you saying all this to me? C.-C. Am I hurting your feelings? ELIZABETH. I think I've had enough for the present. C.-C. I'll go and have a look at the gold-fish. I want to see Arnold when he comes in. [_Politely._] I'm afraid we've been boring Mr. Luton. TEDDIE. Not at all. C.-C. When are you going back to the F.M.S.? TEDDIE. In about a month. C.-C. I see. [_He goes out._ ELIZABETH. I wonder what he has at the back of his head. TEDDIE. D'you think he was talking at you? ELIZABETH. He's as clever as a bagful of monkeys. [_There is a moment's pause. TEDDIE hesitates a little and when he speaks it is in a different tone. He is grave and somewhat nervous._ TEDDIE. It seems very difficult to get a few minutes alone with you. I wonder if you've been making it difficult? ELIZABETH. I wanted to think. TEDDIE. I've made up my mind to go away to-morrow. ELIZABETH. Why? TEDDIE. I want you altogether or not at all. ELIZABETH. You're so arbitrary. TEDDIE. You said you--you said you cared for me. ELIZABETH. I do. TEDDIE. Do you mind if we talk it over now? ELIZABETH. No.