,
all the talk was of the wonderful things _Gerald_ had done. It was like
that at Eton; it was like that at Oxford. It's always been like that. I
managed to get away from you a bit after Oxford, but it went on just
the same. "How do you do, Mr. Farringdon? Are you any relation to Gerald
Farringdon?" (With the utmost contempt) And you actually thought I liked
that; you thought I enjoyed it. You thought I smiled modestly and said,
"Oh yes, he's my brother, my young brother; isn't he wonderful?"

GERALD (hardly able to realise it). And you've felt like this for years?
(To himself) For years!

BOB (not noticing him). And that wasn't enough for you. They got you
into the Foreign Office--they could have got me there. They could have
put me into the Army (Almost shouting) Aren't I the eldest son? But no,
it didn't matter about the eldest son--never mind about him; put him
in the City, anywhere as long as he's out of the way. If we have any
influence, we must use it for Gerald--the wonderful Gerald.

GERALD. If this is an indictment, it's drawn against the wrong person.

BOB (more quietly). Then at last I found a friend; somebody who took me
for my own sake. (Bitterly) And like a damned fool I brought her down
here, and she saw _you_. I might have known what would happen.

GERALD. Pamela!

BOB. Yes, and you took her. After taking everything you could all your
life, you took _her_. She was Bob's friend--that was quite enough. She
must be one more in the crowd of admirers round you. So you took her.
(Triumphantly) Ah, but I got her back in the end. I've got her now--and
I think I'm square, Gerald.

GERALD. Yes, I think you're square now.

BOB (rather jauntily, as he leans back against the end of the sofa and
feels for his cigarette-case). I seem to have surprised you rather.

GERALD. You've thought like that about me for years and you've never
said anything? You've felt like that about Pamela and you've never said
anything?

BOB. I've been thinking it over, particularly these last few months--in
prison, Gerald. You have a lot of time for thinking in prison. Oh,
I know; you advised me to stand on my head and waggle my legs in the
air--something like that. You were full of brilliant ideas. I had a
better idea--I _thought_.

GERALD (realising his state of mind). My God, what a time you must have
had!

BOB (furiously). Damn you! I _won't_ be pitied by you.

GERALD (coolly). And you're not going to be. You've talked ab