pudent! My patience is at breaking-point, I warn
you.

ATHENE. I'm perfectly serious, Father. I tell you, we meant to marry,
but so far I haven't been able to bring myself to it. You never noticed
how we children have watched you.

BUILDER. Me?

ATHENE. Yes. You and mother, and other things; all sorts of things--

BUILDER. [Taking out a handkerchief and wiping his brow] I really think
you're mad.

ATHENE. I'm sure you must, dear.

BUILDER. Don't "dear" me! What have you noticed? D'you mean I'm not a
good husband and father?

ATHENE. Look at mother. I suppose you can't, now; you're too used to
her.

BUILDER. Of course I'm used to her. What else is marrying for?

ATHENE. That; and the production of such as me. And it isn't good
enough, father. You shouldn't have set us such a perfect example.

BUILDER. You're talking the most arrant nonsense I ever heard. [He
lifts his hands] I've a good mind to shake it out of you.

ATHENE. Shall I call Guy?

He drops his hands.

Confess that being a good husband and father has tried you terribly. It
has us, you know.

BUILDER. [Taking refuge in sarcasm] When you've quite done being funny,
perhaps you'll tell me why you've behaved like a common street flapper.

ATHENE. [Simply] I couldn't bear to think of Guy as a family man.
That's all--absolutely. It's not his fault; he's been awfully anxious to
be one.

BUILDER. You've disgraced us, then; that's what it comes to.

ATHENE. I don't want to be unkind, but you've brought it on yourself.

BUILDER. [Genuinely distracted] I can't even get a glimmer of what you
mean. I've never been anything but firm. Impatient, perhaps. I'm not
an angel; no ordinary healthy man is. I've never grudged you girls any
comfort, or pleasure.

ATHENE. Except wills of our own.

BUILDER. What do you want with wills of your own till you're married?

ATHENE. You forget mother!

BUILDER. What about her?

ATHENE. She's very married. Has she a will of her own?

BUILDER. [Sullenly] She's learnt to know when I'm in the right.

ATHENE. I don't ever mean to learn to know when Guy's in the right.
Mother's forty-one, and twenty-three years of that she's been your wife.
It's a long time, father. Don't you ever look at her face?

BUILDER. [Troubled in a remote way] Rubbish!

ATHENE. I didn't want my face to get like that.

BUILDER. With such views about marriage, what business had you to g