I think I shall go away again soon. EDWARD Oh, Zoe, please don’t! ZOE It’s going to be awkward if I stay. EDWARD No, it isn’t. ZOE We’re both on rather dangerous ground. EDWARD I don’t see why. ZOE Yes, you do, perfectly. EDWARD I do not. ZOE If I stay, we shall probably fall in love properly—we’re both at a perilous age. EDWARD What if we do? ZOE It would be too horrible, with all this Carol business going on and everything. EDWARD You’re crossing your bridges before you come to them. ZOE I shall go, all the same. EDWARD That is rank cowardice. ZOE No, it isn’t; it’s sound sense. EDWARD It will be beastly for me. ZOE Not so beastly as if I stayed, really—in the long run. EDWARD What could happen? ZOE Oh, the usual thing, I suppose—we should have an affair and spoil everything. EDWARD I don’t see why. ZOE You’re being very obstinate this morning. EDWARD If I were in love with you at all, it would be in a very nice, restrained way. ZOE We should both tire of that very quickly. EDWARD Zoe, how can you be so unpleasant? ZOE I’m only facing facts. EDWARD We’ve been together a good deal in the past. ZOE I know. EDWARD And everything was above reproach. ZOE Entirely. EDWARD Well, why can’t we go on like that? ZOE Because even if we do, people will say we don’t. EDWARD What does that matter? ZOE It matters a lot. I’ve had enough squalor in the past few years to last me for life. EDWARD Yes, but I don’t see— ZOE Also I have a strange aversion to coming between man and wife. EDWARD Oh, shut up, Zoe. ZOE It’s true. I suffer from a pre-war conscience. EDWARD There’s no question of that, really. ZOE Don’t be silly. Of course there is. EDWARD Carol wouldn’t care. ZOE What difference does that make? Really, Edward, you’re being horribly flaccid over the whole thing! EDWARD Don’t let’s argue about it. ZOE All right. EDWARD But please don’t go away again—just yet. ZOE I’ll think it over, Edward. EDWARD You’ve depressed me terribly. ZOE I’m sorry. EDWARD It’s all such a hopeless muddle. ZOE It needn’t be. EDWARD I’d no idea you were so designing. ZOE What a horrid thing to say! EDWARD It’s true though, isn’t it? ZOE Absolutely. EDWARD Oh, Zoe— ZOE I must go. EDWARD Remember lunch. ZOE I’ll pick you up here. EDWARD No, don’t—I’ll meet you. ZOE Where? EDWARD Berkeley—one o’clock. ZOE I’m sure to be late. EDWARD So am I. ZOE Good-by, dear. [_She goes up to him and kisses him lightly._] EDWARD Zoe! ZOE That was part of the design! [_She goes out. EDWARD walks up and down irritably for a moment, then lights a cigarette and flings himself into an armchair. The telephone rings. He gives an exclamation of annoyance and rises to answer it._] EDWARD [_At telephone_] Hallo!... Yes—yes.... Who is it speaking?... No, I’m afraid you can’t. She isn’t very well— [_CAROL enters in time to catch the last sentence._]