s ago.
MARY
Why, nor there was.
JOHN
You see how groundless your fears are.
I shall catch that train, and all the rest will
happen the same as before. Just think
Mary, all those old days again. I wish I
could take you with me. But you soon will
be. But just think of the old days coming
back again. Hampton Court again and Kew,
and Richmond Park again with all the May.
And that bun you bought, and the corked
ginger-beer, and those birds singing and the
'bus past Isleworth. O, Mary, you wouldn't
grudge me that?
MARY
Well, well then all right, John.
JOHN
And you will remember there wasn't an
accident, won't you?
MARY [resignedly, sadly]
O, yes, John. And you won't try to get
rich or do anything silly, will you?
JOHN
No, Mary. I only want to catch that
train. I'm content with the rest. The same
things must happen, and they must lead me
the same way, to you, Mary. Good night,
now, dear.
MARY
Good night?
JOHN
I shall stay here on the sofa holding the
crystal and thinking. Then I'll have a
biscuit and start at seven.
MARY
Thinking, John? What about?
JOHN
Getting it clear in my mind what I want
to do. That one thing and the rest the same.
There must be no mistakes.
MARY [sadly]
Good night, John.
JOHN
Have supper ready at eleven.
MARY
Very well, John.
[Exit.]
JOHN [on the sofa, after a moment or two]
I'll catch that infernal train in spite of him.
[He takes the crystal and closes it up in
the palm of his left hand.]
I wish to go back ten years, two weeks and
a day, at, at--8.10 a.m. to-morrow; 8.10 a.m.
to-morrow, 8.10.
[Re-enter MARY in doorway.]
MARY
John! John! You are sure he did get
his fifty pounds?
JOHN
Yes. Didn't he come to thank me for the
money?
MARY
You are sure it wasn't ten shillings?
JOHN
Cater paid him, I didn't.
MARY
Are you sure that Cater didn't give him
ten shillings?
JOHN
It's the sort of silly thing Cater would have
done!
MARY
O, John!
JOHN
Hmm.
Curtain
SCENE 3
Scene: As in Act I, Scene 1.
Time. Ten years ago.
BERT
'Ow goes it, Bill?
BILL
Goes it? 'Ow d'yer think it goes?
BERT
I don't know, Bill. 'Ow is it?
BILL
Bloody.
BERT
Why, what's wrong?
BILL
Wrong? Nothing ain't wrong.
BERT
What's up, then?
BILL
Nothing ain't right.
BERT
Why, wot's the worry?
BILL
Wot's the worry? They don't give you
better wage
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