Why?

ARCHIE BEAL

Why, because at the present moment our friend Hussein is a craftier fellow than you, and looks like getting the best of it.

JOHN BEAL

How will seeing more of Miss Miralda help us?

ARCHIE BEAL

Why, because you want to be a bit craftier than Hussein, and I fancy she might make you.

JOHN BEAL

She?  How?

ARCHIE BEAL

We’re mostly made what we are by some woman or other.  We think it’s our own cleverness, but we’re wrong.  As things are you’re no match for Hussein, but if you altered . . .

JOHN BEAL

Why, Archie; where did you get all those ideas from?

ARCHIE BEAL

O, I don’t know.

JOHN BEAL

You never used to talk like that.

ARCHIE BEAL

O, well.

JOHN BEAL

You haven’t been getting in love, Archie, have you?

ARCHIE BEAL

What are we to do about Hussein?

JOHN BEAL

It’s funny your mentioning Miss Miralda.  I got a letter from her the same day I got yours.

ARCHIE BEAL

What does she say?

JOHN BEAL

I couldn’t make it out.

ARCHIE BEAL

What were her words?

JOHN BEAL

She said she was going into it closer.  She underlined closer.  What could she mean by that?  How could she get closer?

ARCHIE BEAL

Well, the same way as I did.

JOHN BEAL

How do you mean?  I don’t understand.

ARCHIE BEAL

By coming here.

JOHN BEAL

By coming here?  But she can’t come here.

ARCHIE BEAL

Why not?

JOHN BEAL

Because it’s impossible.  Absolutely impossible.  Why—­good Lord—­she couldn’t come here.  Why, she’d want a chaperon and a house and—­and—­everything.  Good Lord, she couldn’t come here.  It would be—­well it would be impossible—­it couldn’t be done.