have what I like now, not what you think's good for me.

MR MARCH. God knows we don't want to--

FAITH. You mean very well, Mr March, but you're no good.

MR MARCH. I knew it.

FAITH. You were very kind to me. But you don't see; nobody sees.

YOUNG M. There! That's enough! You're gettin' excited. You come away
with me.

FAITH's look at him is like the look of a dog at her master.

JOHNNY. [From the background] I know you're a blackguard--I've seen your
sort.

FAITH. [Firing up] Don't call him names! I won't have it. I'll go
with whom I choose! [Her eyes suddenly fix themselves on the YOUNG MAN'S
face] And I'm going with him!

COOK enters.

MR MARCH. What now, Cook?

COOK. A Mr Barnabas in the hall, sir. From the police.

Everybody starts. MRS MARCH drinks off her fifth little glass of
brandy, then sits again.

MR MARCH. From the police?

He goes out, followed by COOK. A moment's suspense.

YOUNG M. Well, I can't wait any longer. I suppose we can go out the
back way?

He draws FAITH towards the windows. But JOHNNY stands there,
barring the way. JOHNNY. No, you don't.

FAITH. [Scared] Oh! Let me go--let him go!

JOHNNY. You may go. [He takes her arm to pull her to the window] He
can't.

FAITH. [Freeing herself] No--no! Not if he doesn't.

JOHNNY has an evident moment of hesitation, and before it is over MR
MARCH comes in again, followed by a man in a neat suit of plain
clothes.

MR MARCH. I should like you to say that in front of her.

P. C. MAN. Your service, ma'am. Afraid I'm intruding here. Fact is,
I've been waiting for a chance to speak to this young woman quietly.
It's rather public here, sir; but if you wish, of course, I'll mention
it. [He waits for some word from some one; no one speaks, so he goes on
almost apologetically] Well, now, you're in a good place here, and you
ought to keep it. You don't want fresh trouble, I'm sure.

FAITH. [Scared] What do you want with me?

P. C. MAN. I don't want to frighten you; but we've had word passed that
you're associating with the young man there. I observed him to-night
again, waiting outside here and whistling.

YOUNG M. What's the matter with whistling?

P. C. MAN. [Eyeing him] I should keep quiet if I was you. As you know,
sir [To MR MARCH] there's a law nowadays against soo-tenors.

MR MARCH. Soo--?

JOHNNY. I knew it.

P. C. MAN