PIM. The apology should come from me, Mr. Marden, for having--er--
GEORGE. Not at all. Very glad to meet you now. Any friend of Brymer"s.
You want a letter to this man Fanshawe?
OLIVIA. Shall I be in your way at all?
PIM. Oh, no, no, please don"t.
GEOBGE. Oh, no. It"s only just a question of a letter. Fanshawe will put you in the way of seeing all that you want to see. (_Crossing up to writing-table, sits_.) He"s a very old friend of mine. (_Taking a sheet of notepaper and turning in chair to_ PIM.) You"ll stay to lunch, of course?
PIM. It"s very kind of you, but I"m lunching with the Trevors. (_Sits settee R. and puts down his hat and gloves_.)
GEORGE. Ah, well, they"ll look after you all right. Good chap, Trevor.
PIM. Oh, very good ... very good. (_To_ OLIVIA.) You see, Mrs. Marden, I have only recently arrived from Australia--(OLIVIA _stops in her sewing and_ GEORGE _looks up_)--after travelling about the world for some years, and I"m rather out of touch with my--er--fellow-workers in London.
OLIVIA. I see! You"ve been in Australia, Mr. Pim?
PIM. Oh, yes, I----
GEORGE (_after a loud cough_). Sorry to keep you waiting, Mr. Pim. I shan"t be a moment.
PIM. Oh, that"s all right, thank you. (_To_ OLIVIA.) Oh, yes, I have been in Australia more than once in the last few years.
OLIVIA. Really? I used to live at Sydney many years ago. Do you know Sydney at all?
PIM. Oh, yes, I was----
GEORGE (_coughing_). H"r"m! Perhaps I"d better mention that you are a friend of the Trevors?
PIM. Thank you, thank you. (_To_ OLIVIA.) Indeed yes, I spent several months in Sydney a few years ago.
OLIVIA. How curious! I wonder if we have any friends in common there.
GEORGE (_coughing and gruffly_). Extremely unlikely, I should think.
Sydney is a very big place.
PIM. True, true, but the world is a very small place, Mr. Marden. I had a remarkable instance of that, coming over on the boat this last time.
GEORGE. Ah! (_Feeling that the conversation is now safe, he resumes his letter_.)
PIM. Yes. There was a man I used to employ in Sydney some years ago, a bad fellow, I"m afraid, Mrs. Marden, who had been in prison for some kind of fraudulent company-promoting and had taken to drink and--and so on.
OLIVIA. Yes, yes, I understand.
PIM. Drinking himself to death, I should have said. I gave him at the most another year to live. Yet to my amazement the first person I saw as I stepped on board the boat that brought me to England last week was this fellow. There was no mistaking him. I spoke to him, in fact; we recognized each other.
(GEORGE _rises_.)
OLIVIA. Really?
PIM. He was travelling steerage; we didn"t meet again on board, and as it happened at Ma.r.s.eilles, this poor fellow--er--now what was his name? A very unusual one. Began with a--a T, I think.
OLIVIA (_with suppressed feeling_). Yes, Mr. Pim, yes? (_She puts out a hand to_ GEORGE.)
GEORGE (_in an undertone, taking her hand_). Nonsense, dear!
PIM (_triumphantly_). I"ve got it! Telworthy!
OLIVIA (_draws back in settee, overcome_). Telworthy!
GEORGE. Good G.o.d!
PIM (_a little surprised at the success of his story_). An unusual name, is it not? Not a name you could forget when once you had heard it.
OLIVIA (_with feeling, gazing into s.p.a.ce with hands clenched_). No, it is not a name you could forget when once you had heard it.
GEORGE (_hastily coming over to_ PIM). Quite so, Mr. Pim, a most remarkable name, a most odd story altogether. Well, well, here"s your letter--(PIM _rises and tales letter_)--and if you"re sure you won"t stay to lunch----
PIM. No, thank you. You see, I"m lunching with----
GEORGE. With the Trevors, yes. I remember you told me. (_Taking his arm and hurrying him up_ C.) I"ll just see you on your way.... (_To_ OLIVIA, _who does not notice_ PIM _holding out his hand to say good-bye_.) Er--my dear----
OLIVIA (_holding out her hand, but not looking at him_). Good-bye, Mr.
Pim.
PIM (_shaking hands with_ OLIVIA). Good-bye, good-bye!
GEORGE (_taking him by the arm up_ L. _towards the windows_). This way, this way. Quicker for you.
PIM, Thank you, thank you.
(GEORGE _hurries him up_ C. _and he exits to_ L. OLIVIA _looks into the past and shudders_. GEORGE _comes back to_ C.)
GEORGE. Good G.o.d! Telworthy! (ANNE _enters from up_ R. _and comes to foot of staircase_.) Is it possible?
(_Before_ OLIVIA _can answer,_ LADY MARDEN _is announced_.)
ANNE. Lady Marden.
(GEORGE _crosses down to_ OLIVIA _and touches her on the shoulder. They pull themselves together, and_ OLIVIA _rises and is crossing towards_ C.
_to greet_ LADY MARDEN, _who does not appear_.)
QUICK CURTAIN.
ACT II