CUTHBERTSON (soothing him). Of course: that's the only reasonable view of the matter. Well, the fact is, it's not so inconvenient as you might think. When you're at home, you have the house more to yourself; and when you want to have your family about you, you can dine with them at the club. CRAVEN (not much attracted by this). True. CUTHBERTSON. Besides, if you don't want to dine with them, you needn't. CRAVEN (convinced). True, very true. But don't they carry on here, rather? CUTHBERTSON. Oh, no, they don't exactly carry on. Of course the usual tone of the club is low, because the women smoke and earn their own living and all that; but still there's nothing actually to complain of. And it's convenient, certainly. (Charteris comes in, looking round for them.) CRAVEN (rising). Do you know, I've a great mind to join, just to see what it's like. Would you mind putting me up? CUTHBERTSON. Delighted, Dan, delighted. (He grasps Craven's hand.) CHARTERIS (putting one hand on Craven's shoulder and the other on Cuthbertson's). Bless you, my children! (Cuthbertson, a little wounded in his dignity, moves away. The Colonel takes the jest in the utmost good humor.) CRAVEN (cordially). Hallo! CHARTERIS (to Craven). Hope I haven't disturbed your chat by coming too soon. CRAVEN. Not at all. Welcome, dear boy. (Shakes his hand.) CHARTERIS. That's right. I'm earlier than I intended. The fact is, I have something rather pressing to say to Cuthbertson. CRAVEN. Private! CHARTERIS. Not particularly. (To Cuthbertson.) Only what we were speaking of last night. CUTHBERTSON. Well, Charteris, I think that is private, or ought to be. CRAVEN (going up towards the table). I'll just take a look at the Times-- CHARTERIS (stopping him). Oh, it's no secret: everybody in the club guesses it. (To Cuthbertson.) Has Grace never mentioned to you that she wants to marry me? CUTHBERTSON (indignantly). She has mentioned that you want to marry her. CHARTERIS. Ah; but then it's not what I want, but what Grace wants, that will weigh with you. CRAVEN (a little shocked). Excuse me Charteris: this is private. I'll leave you to yourselves. (Again moves towards the table.) CHARTERIS. Wait a bit, Craven: you're concerned in this. Julia wants to marry me too. CRAVEN (in a tone of the strongest remonstrance). Now really! Now upon my life and soul! CHARTERIS. It's a fact, I assure you. Didn't it strike you as rather odd, our being up there last night and Mrs. Tranfield not with us? CRAVEN. Well, yes it did. But you explained it. And now really, Charteris, I must say your explanation was in shocking bad taste before Julia. CHARTERIS. Never mind. It was a good, fat, healthy, bouncing lie. CRAVEN and CUTHBERTSON. Lie! CHARTERIS. Didn't you suspect that? CRAVEN. Certainly not. Did you, Jo? CUTHBERTSON. No, most emphatically. CRAVEN. What's more, I don't believe you. I'm sorry to have to say such a thing; but you forget that Julia was present and didn't contradict you.