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BERTLEY。 Ah！ Then ＇WELLWYN and ANN hang on his words＇ then I
shoulder
ANN。 ＇Abruptly。＇ Remove him。
BERTLEY。 Before I say that； Ann； I must certainly see the
individual。
WELLWYN。 ＇Pointing to the window。＇ There he is！
＇In the failing light TIMSON'S face is indeed to be seen
pressed against the window pane。＇
ANN。 Daddy； I do wish you'd have thick glass put in。 It's so
disgusting to be spied at！ ＇WELLWYN going quickly to the door； has
opened it。＇ What do you want？ ＇TIMSON enters with dignity。 He is
fuddled。
TIMSON。 ＇Slowly。＇ Arskin' yer pardon…thought it me duty to come
back…found thish yer little brishel on me。 ＇He produces the little
paint brush。＇
ANN。 ＇In a deadly voice。＇ Nothing else？
＇TIMSON accords her a glassy stare。＇
WELLWYN。 ＇Taking the brush hastily。＇ That'll do； Timson； thanks！
TIMSON。 As I am 'ere； can I do anything for yer？
ANN。 Yes； you can sweep out that little room。 ＇She points to the
model's room。＇ There's a broom in there。
TIMSON。 ＇Disagreeably surprised。＇ Certainly； never make bones
about a little extranever 'ave in all me life。 Do it at onsh； I
will。 ＇He moves across to the model's room at that peculiar broad
gait so perfectly adjusted to his habits。＇ You quite understand me
couldn't bear to 'ave anything on me that wasn't mine。
＇He passes out。
ANN。 Old fraud！
WELLWYN。 〃In〃 and 〃on。〃 Mark my words； he'll restore thebottles。
BERTLEY。 But； my dear WELLWYN； that is stealing。
WELLWYN。 We all have our discrepancies； Vicar。
ANN。 Daddy！ Discrepancies！
WELLWYN。 Well； Ann； my theory is that as regards solids Timson's an
Individualist； but as regards liquids he's a Socialist 。 。 。 or
'vice versa'； according to taste。
BERTLEY。 No； no； we mustn't joke about it。 ＇Gravely。＇ I do think
he should be spoken to。
WELLWYN。 Yes； but not by me。
BERTLEY。 Surely you're the proper person。
WELLWYN。 ＇Shaking his head。＇ It was my rum； Vicar。 Look so
personal。
＇There sound a number of little tat…tat knocks。＇
WELLWYN。 Isn't that the Professor's knock？
＇While Ann sits down to make tea； he goes to the door and opens
it。 There； dressed in an ulster； stands a thin； clean…shaved
man； with a little hollow sucked into either cheek； who； taking
off a grey squash hat； discloses a majestically bald forehead；
which completely dominates all that comes below it。＇
WELLWYN。 Come in； Professor！ So awfully good of you！ You know
Canon Bentley； I think？
CALWAY。 Ah！ How d'you do？
WELLWYN。 Your opinion will be invaluable； Professor。
ANN。 Tea； Professor Calway？
＇They have assembled round the tea table。＇
CALWAY。 Thank you； no tea； milk。
WELLWYN。 Rum？
＇He pours rum into CALWAY's milk。＇
CALWAY。 A little…thanks！ ＇Turning to ANN。＇ You were going to show
me some one you're trying to rescue； or something； I think。
ANN。 Oh！ Yes。 He'll be here directlysimply perfect rotter。
CALWAY。 ＇Smiling。＇ Really！ Ah！ I think you said he was a
congenital？
WELLWYN。 ＇With great interest。＇ What！
ANN。 ＇Low。＇ Daddy！ ＇To CALWAY。＇ Yes； II think that's what you
call him。
CALWAY。 Not old？
ANN。 No； and quite healthya vagabond。
CALWAY。 ＇Sipping。＇ I see！ Yes。 Is it； do you think chronic
unemployment with a vagrant tendency？ Or would it be nearer the
mark to say： Vagrancy
WELLWYN。 Pure！ Oh！ pure！ Professor。 Awfully human。
CALWAY。 ＇With a smile of knowledge。＇ Quite！ Ander
ANN。 ＇Breaking in。＇ Before he comes； there's another
BERTLEY。 ＇Blandly。＇ Yes； when you came in； we were discussing what
should be done with a man who drinks rum＇CALWAY pauses in the act
of drinking＇that doesn't belong to him。
CALWAY。 Really！ Dipsomaniac？
BERTLEY。 Wellperhaps you could tell usdrink certainly changing
thine to mine。 The Professor could see him； WELLWYN？
ANN。 ＇Rising。＇ Yes； do come and look at him； Professor CALWAY。
He's in there。
＇She points towards the model's room。 CALWAY smiles
deprecatingly。＇
ANN。 No； really； we needn't open the door。 You can see him through
the glass。 He's more than half
CALWAY。 Well； I hardly
ANN。 Oh！ Do！ Come on； Professor CALWAY！ We must know what to do
with him。 ＇CALWAY rises。＇ You can stand on a chair。 It's all
science。
＇She draws CALWAY to the model's room； which is lighted by a
glass panel in the top of the high door。 CANON BERTLEY also
rises and stands watching。 WELLWYN hovers； torn between
respect for science and dislike of espionage。＇
ANN。 ＇Drawing up a chair。＇ Come on！
CALWAY。 Do you seriously wish me to？
ANN。 Rather！ It's quite safe； he can't see you。
CALWAY。 But he might come out。
＇ANN puts her back against the door。 CALWAY mounts the chair
dubiously； and raises his head cautiously； bending it more and
more downwards。＇
ANN。 Well？
CALWAY。 He appears to be…sitting on the floor。
WELLWYN。 Yes； that's all right！
＇BERTLEY covers his lips。＇
CALWAY。 ＇To ANNdescending。＇ By the look of his face； as far as
one can see it； I should say there was a leaning towards mania。 I
know the treatment。
＇There come three loud knocks on the door。 WELLWYN and ANN
exchange a glance of consternation。
ANN。 Who's that？
WELLWYN。 It sounds like Sir Thomas。
CALWAY。 Sir Thomas Hoxton？
WELLWYN。 ＇Nodding。＇ Awfully sorry； Professor。 You see； we
CALWAY。 Not at all。 Only； I must decline to be involved in
argument with him； please。
BERTLEY。 He has experience。 We might get his opinion； don't you
think？
CALWAY。 On a point of reform？ A J。P。！
BERTLEY。 ＇Deprecating。＇ My dear Sirwe needn't take it。
＇The three knocks resound with extraordinary fury。＇
ANN。 You'd better open the door； Daddy。
＇WELLWYN opens the door。 SIR； THOMAS HOXTON is disclosed in a
fur overcoat and top hat。 His square； well…coloured face is
remarkable for a massive jaw； dominating all that comes above
it。 His Voice is resolute。＇
HOXTON。 Afraid I didn't make myself heard。
WELLWYN。 So good of you to come； Sir Thomas。 Canon Bertley！ ＇They
greet。＇ Professor CALWAY you know； I think。
HOXTON。 ＇Ominously。＇ I do。
＇They almost greet。 An awkward pause。＇
ANN。 ＇Blurting it out。＇ That old cabman I told you of's been
drinking father's rum。
BERTLEY。 We were just discussing what's to be done with him； Sir
Thomas。 One wants to do the very best； of course。 The question of
reform is always delicate。
CALWAY。 I beg your pardon。 There is no question here。
HOXTON。 ＇Abruptly。＇ Oh！ Is he in the house？
ANN。 In there。
HOXTON。 Works for you； eh？
WELLWYN。 Eryes。
HOXTON。 Let's have a look at him！
＇An embarrassed pause。＇
BERTLEY。 Wellthe fact is； Sir Thomas
CALWAY。 When last under observation
ANN。 He was sitting on the floor。
WELLWYN。 I don't want the old fellow to feel he's being made a show
of。 Disgusting to be spied at； Ann。
ANN。 You can't； Daddy！ He's drunk。
HOXTON。 Never mind； Miss WELLWYN。 Hundreds of these fellows before
me in my t