t.

MR. BARLOW. Yes, indeed.--Would you be so good as to ring, Oliver? I
think I must go to bed.

ANABEL. Ah, you have over-tired yourself.

MR. BARLOW. No, my dear--not over-tired. Excuse me if I have burdened
you with all this. I relieves me to speak of it.

ANABEL. I realise HOW terrible it is, Mr. Barlow--and how helpless one
is.

MR. BARLOW. Thank you, my dear, for your sympathy.

OLIVER. If the people for one minute pulled themselves up and conquered
their mania for money and machine excitement, the whole thing would be
solved.--Would you like me to find Winnie and tell her to say good night
to you?

MR. BARLOW. If you would be so kind. (Exit OLIVER.) Can't you find
a sweet that you would like, my dear? Won't you take a little cherry
brandy?

(Enter BUTLER.)

ANABEL. Thank you.

WILLIAM. You will go up, sir?

MR. BARLOW. Yes, William.

WILLIAM. You are tired to-night, sir.

MR. BARLOW. It has come over me just now.

WILLIAM. I wish you went up before you became so over-tired, sir. Would
you like nurse?

MR. BARLOW. No, I'll go with you, William. Good night, my dear.

ANABEL. Good night, Mr. Barlow. I am so sorry if you are over-tired.

(Exit BUTLER and MR. BARLOW. ANABEL takes a drink and goes to
the fire.)

(Enter GERALD.)

GERALD. Father gone up?

ANABEL. Yes.

GERALD. I thought I heard him. Has he been talking too much?--Poor
father, he will take things to heart.

ANABEL. Tragic, really.

GERALD. Yes, I suppose it is. But one can get beyond tragedy--beyond the
state of feeling tragical, I mean. Father himself is tragical. One feels
he is mistaken--and yet he wouldn't be any different, and be himself, I
suppose. He's sort of crucified on an idea of the working people. It's
rather horrible when he's one's father.--However, apart from tragedy,
how do you like being here, in this house?

ANABEL. I like the house. It's rather too comfortable.

GERALD. Yes. But how do you like being here?

ANABEL. How do you like my being in your home?

GERALD. Oh, I think you're very decorative.

ANABEL. More decorative than comfortable?

GERALD. Perhaps. But perhaps you give the necessary finish to the
establishment.

ANABEL. Like the correct window-curtains?

GERALD. Yes, something like that. I say, why did you come, Anabel? Why
did you come slap-bang into the middle of us?--It's not expostulation--I
want to know.

ANABEL. You mean you want to be told?

GERALD. Yes