LADY MARDEN.  I should have said that it was Telworthy’s present which was the trouble.  Had he a past as well?

OLIVIA.  He was a fraudulent company promoter.  He went to prison a good deal.

LADY MARDEN.  George, you never told me this!

GEORGE.  I—­er——­

OLIVIA.  I don’t see why he should want to talk about it.

DINAH (indignantly).  What’s it got to do with Olivia, anyhow?  It’s not her fault.

LADY MARDEN (sarcastically).  Oh no, I daresay it’s mine.

OLIVIA (to GEORGE).  YOU wanted to ask Aunt Julia what was the right thing to do.

BRIAN (bursting out).  Good Heavens, what is there to do except the one and only thing? (They all look at him and he becomes embarrassed) I’m sorry.  You don’t want me to—­

OLIVIA. I do, Brian.

LADY MARDEN.  Well, go on, Mr. Strange.  What would you do in George’s position?

BRIAN.  Do?  Say to the woman I loved, “You’re mine, and let this other damned fellow come and take you from me if he can!” And he couldn’t—­how could he?—­not if the woman chose me.

(LADY MARDEN gazes at BRIAN in amazement, GEORGE in anger, OLIVIA presses his hand gratefully.  He has said what she has been waiting—­oh, so eagerly—­for GEORGE to say.)

DINAH (adoringly).  Oh, Brian! (In a whisper) It is me, isn’t it, and not Olivia?

BRIAN.  You baby, of course!

LADY MARDEN.  I’m afraid, Mr. Strange, your morals are as peculiar as your views on Art.  If you had led a more healthy life—­

BRIAN.  This is not a question of morals or of art, it’s a question of love.

DINAH.  Hear, hear!

LADY MARDEN (to GEORGE).  Isn’t it that girl’s bedtime yet?

OLIVIA (to DINAH).  We’ll let her sit up a little longer if she’s good.

DINAH.  I will be good, Olivia, only I thought anybody, however important a debate was, was allowed to say “Hear, hear!”

GEORGE (coldly) I really think we could discuss this better if Mr.
Strange took Dinah out for a walk.  Strange, if you—­er—­

OLIVIA.  Tell them what you have settled first, George.

LADY MARDEN.  Settled?  What is there to be settled?  It settles itself.

GEORGE (sadly).  That’s just it.

LADY MARDEN.  The marriage must be annulled—­is that the word, George?

GEORGE.  I presume so.

LADY MARDEN.  One’s solicitor will know all about that of course.

BRIAN.  And when the marriage has been annulled, what then?

LADY MARDEN.  Presumably Olivia will return to her husband.

BRIAN (bitterly).  And that’s morality!  As expounded by Bishop
Landseer!

GEORGE (angered).  I don’t know what you mean by Bishop Landseer.  Morality is acting in accordance with the Laws of the Land and the Laws of the Church.  I am quite prepared to believe that your creed embraces neither marriage nor monogamy, but my creed is different.