publicity—­what people will say.  I’m not.  I’m not.  That comes in any way.  But I want to do what’s right, what’s best.  I don’t mean what’s best for us, what makes us happiest, I mean what’s really best, what’s rightest.  What anybody else would do in my place. I don’t know.  It’s so unfair.  You’re not my wife at all, but I want to do what’s right. . . .  Oh, Olivia, Olivia, you do understand, don’t you?

(They have both forgotten LADY MARDEN.  OLIVIA has never taken her eyes off him as he makes his last attempt to convince himself.)

OLIVIA (almost tenderly).  So very very well, George.  Oh, I understand just what you are feeling.  And oh, I do so wish that you could—­(with a little sigh)—­but then it wouldn’t be George, not the George I married—­(with a rueful little laugh)—­or didn’t quite marry.

LADY MARDEN.  I must say, I think you are both talking a little wildly.

OLIVIA (repeating it, oh, so tenderly).  Or didn’t—­quite—­marry. (She looks at him with all her heart in her eyes.  She is giving him his last chance to say “Damn Telworthy; you’re mine!” He struggles desperately with himself. . . .  Will he?—­will he? . . .  But we shall never know, for at that moment ANNE comes in.)

ANNE.  Mr. Pim is here, sir.

GEORGE (emerging from the struggle with an effort).  Pim?  Pim?  Oh, ah, yes, of course.  Mr. Pim. (Looking up) Where have you put him?

OLIVIA.  I want to see Mr. Pim, too, George.

LADY MARDEN.  Who on earth is Mr. Pim?

OLIVIA.  Show him in here, Anne.

ANNE.  Yes, madam. [She goes out.

OLIVIA.  It was Mr. Pim who told us about my husband.  He came across with him in the boat, and recognised him as the Telworthy he knew in Australia.

LADY MARDEN.  Oh!  Shall I be in the way?

GEORGE.  No, no.  It doesn’t matter, does it, Olivia?

OLIVIA.  Please stay.

    [ANNE enters followed by MR. PIM.

ANNE.  Mr. Pim.

GEORGE (pulling himself together).  Ah, Mr. Pim!  Very good of you to have come.  The fact is—­er—­(It is too much for him; he looks despairingly at OLIVIA.)

OLIVIA.  We’re so sorry to trouble you, Mr. Pim.  By the way, do you know Lady Marden? (MR. PIM and LADY MARDEN bow to each other.) Do come and sit down, won’t you? (She makes room for him on the sofa next to her) The fact is, Mr. Pim, you gave us rather a surprise this morning, and before we had time to realise what it all meant, you had gone.

MR. PIM.  A surprise, Mrs. Marden?  Dear me, not an unpleasant one, I hope?

OLIVIA.  Well, rather a—­surprising one.

GEORGE.  Olivia, allow me a moment.  Mr. Pim, you mentioned a man called Telworthy this morning.  My wife used to—­that is to say, I used to—­that is, there are reasons—­

OLIVIA.  I think we had better be perfectly frank, George.

LADY MARDEN.  I am sixty-five years of age, Mr. Pim, and I can say that I’ve never had a moment’s uneasiness by telling the truth.