_He turns suddenly, and subsides as a man in a, guard's uniform
enters_.
THE GUARD. Ah, here you are! Thought you'd given us the slip, did you?
(_To the others_) Escaped from the Asylum, he did, a week ago, and
got a job here. We've been huntin' him high and low. Come along now!
GEORGE. (_recovering with difficulty the power of speech_)
What--what's the matter with him?
THE GUARD. Matter with him? He went crazy, he did, readin' the works of
Bernard Shaw. And if he wasn't in the insane asylum he'd be in jail.
He's a bigamist, he is. He married fourteen women. But none of 'em
would go on the witness stand against him. Said he was an ideal
husband, they did. Fourteen of 'em! But otherwise he's perfectly
harmless.
THE AGENT. (_pleasantly_) Perfectly harmless! Yes, perfectly
harmless!
_He is led out_.
HELEN. That explains it all!
GEORGE. Yes--and yet I feel there was something in what he was saying.
HELEN. Well--are we going to get married or not? We've got to decide
that before we face my uncle and your aunt.
GEORGE. Of course we'll get married. You have your work and I mine,
and--
HELEN. Well, if we do, then you can't have that sunny south room for a
study. I want it for the nursery.
GEORGE. The nursery!
HELEN. Yes; babies, you know!
GEORGE. Good heavens!