of himself, tho'. Blind three days.
(_Serious_.) Don't think I am given that way. Nothing and nobody can get
over me unless I like. I can be as steady as a rock.

Bessie (_Murmurs_). Oh! I don't think you are bad.

Harry (_Approvingly_). You're right there. (_Impulsive_.) Ask the girls
all over-------(_Checks himself_.) Ginger, he's long-headed, too, in
his way--mind you. He sees the paper this morning, and says he to me,
'Hallo! Look at that, Harry--loving parent--that's five quid, sure.' So
we scraped all our pockets for the fare....

Bessie (_Unbelieving_). You came here for that.

Harry (_Surprised_). What else would I want here? Five quid isn't much
to ask for--once in sixteen years. (_Through his teeth with a sidelong
look at B._) And now I am ready to go--for my fare.

Bessie (_Clasping her hands_). Whoever heard a man talk like this
before! I can't believe you mean it?

Harry. What? That I would go? You just try and see.

Bessie (_Disregarding him_). Don't you care for anyone? Didn't you ever
want anyone in the world to care for you?

Harry. In the world! (_Boastful_.) There's hardly a place you can go
in the world where you wouldn't find somebody that did care for Harry
Hagberd. (_Pause_.) I'm not of the sort that go about skulking under
false names.

Bessie. Somebody--that means a woman.

Harry. Well! And if it did.

Bessie (_Unsteadily_). Oh, I see how it is. You get round them with your
soft speeches, your promises, and then...

Harry (_Violently_). Never!

Bessie (_Startled, steps back_). Ah--you never. . .

Harry (_Calm_). Never yet told a lie to a woman.

Bessie. What lie?

Harry. Why, the lie that comes glib to a man's tongue. None of that for
me. I leave the sneaking off to them soft-spoken chaps you're thinking
of. No! If you love me you take me. And if you take me--why, then, the
capstan-song of deep-water ships is sure to settle it all some fine day.

Bessie (_After a short pause, with effort_). It's like your ships, then.

Harry (_Amused_). Exactly, up to now. Or else I wouldn't be here in a
silly fix.

Bessie (_Assumed indifference_). Perhaps it's because you've never yet
met------- (_Voice fails_.)

Harry (_Negligently_). Maybe. And perhaps never shall.... What's the
odds? It's the looking for a thing.... No matter. I love them all--ships
and women. The scrapes they got me into, and the scrapes they got me out
of--my word! I say, Miss Bessie, what are you thinking of?