e that you were in Brighton, I mean.

BOBBY. I wasnt at Brighton, Meg. I'd better tell you: youre bound to
find out sooner or later. [He begins his confession humbly, avoiding
her gaze]. Meg: it's rather awful: youll think me no end of a beast. Ive
been in prison.

MARGARET. You!

BOBBY. Yes, me. For being drunk and assaulting the police.

MARGARET. Do you mean to say that you--oh! this is a let-down for me.
[She comes off the table and drops, disconsolate, into a chair at the
end of it furthest from the hearth].

BOBBY. Of course I couldnt hold you to our engagement after that. I was
writing to you to break it off. [He also descends from the table and
makes slowly for the hearth]. You must think me an utter rotter.

MARGARET. Oh, has everybody been in prison for being drunk and
assaulting the police? How long were you in?

BOBBY. A fortnight.

MARGARET. Thats what I was in for.

BOBBY. What are you talking about? In where?

MARGARET. In quod.

BOBBY. But I'm serious: I'm not rotting. Really and truly--

MARGARET. What did you do to the copper?

BOBBY. Nothing, absolutely nothing. He exaggerated grossly. I only
laughed at him.

MARGARET. [jumping up, triumphant] Ive beaten you hollow. I knocked
out two of his teeth. Ive got one of them. He sold it to me for ten
shillings.

BOBBY. Now please do stop fooling, Meg. I tell you I'm not rotting. [He
sits down in the armchair, rather sulkily].

MARGARET. [taking up the copy of Lloyd's Weekly and going to him] And
I tell you I'm not either. Look! Heres a report of it. The daily papers
are no good; but the Sunday papers are splendid. [She sits on the arm
of the chair]. See! [Reading]: "Hardened at Eighteen. A quietly dressed,
respectable-looking girl who refuses her name"--thats me.

BOBBY. [pausing a moment in his perusal] Do you mean to say that you
went on the loose out of pure devilment?

MARGARET. I did no harm. I went to see a lovely dance. I picked up a
nice man and went to have a dance myself. I cant imagine anything more
innocent and more happy. All the bad part was done by other people:
they did it out of pure devilment if you like. Anyhow, here we are, two
gaolbirds, Bobby, disgraced forever. Isnt it a relief?

BOBBY. [rising stiffly] But you know, it's not the same for a girl. A
man may do things a woman maynt. [He stands on the hearthrug with his
back to the fire].

MARGARET. Are you scandalized, Bobby?

BOBBY. Well, you cant expect me to