And you, Mr. Wace?
WACE. Thank you, Ma'am, well indeed!
SHELDER. How d'you do, Mrs. More?
KATHERINE. Very well, thank you, Mr. Shelder.
BANNING. [Speaking with a rather broad country accent] This is but
a poor occasion, Ma'am.
KATHERINE. Yes, Mr. Banning. Do sit down, gentlemen.
Seeing that they will not settle down while she is standing, she
sits at the table. They gradually take their seats. Each
member of the deputation in his own way is severely hanging back
from any mention of the subject in hand; and KATHERINE as intent
on drawing them to it.
KATHERINE. My husband will be here in two minutes. He's only over
at the House.
SHELDER. [Who is of higher standing and education than the others]
Charming position--this, Mrs. More! So near the--er--Centre of--
Gravity um?
KATHERINE. I read the account of your second meeting at Toulmin.
BANNING. It's bad, Mrs. More--bad. There's no disguising it. That
speech was moon-summer madness--Ah! it was! Take a lot of explaining
away. Why did you let him, now? Why did you? Not your views, I'm
sure!
[He looks at her, but for answer she only compresses her lips.]
BANNING. I tell you what hit me--what's hit the whole constituency--
and that's his knowing we were over the frontier, fighting already,
when he made it.
KATHERINE. What difference does it make if he did know?
HOME. Hitting below the belt--I should have thought--you'll pardon
me!
BANNING.
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