and our stupid old grognards died fighting rather than surrender
like reasonable beings. Think of your great Wellington: think of his
inspiring words, when the lady asked him whether British soldiers ever
ran away. "All soldiers run away, madam," he said; "but if there are
supports for them to fall back on it does not matter." Think of your
illustrious Nelson, always beaten on land, always victorious at sea,
where his men could not run away. You are not dazzled and misled by
false ideals of patriotic enthusiasm: your honest and sensible statesmen
demand for England a two-power standard, even a three-power standard,
frankly admitting that it is wise to fight three to one: whilst we,
fools and braggarts as we are, declare that every Frenchman is a host
in himself, and that when one Frenchman attacks three Englishmen he is
guilty of an act of cowardice comparable to that of the man who strikes
a woman. It is folly: it is nonsense: a Frenchman is not really stronger
than a German, than an Italian, even than an Englishman. Sir: if all
Frenchwomen were like your daughter--if all Frenchmen had the good
sense, the power of seeing things as they really are, the calm judgment,
the open mind, the philosophic grasp, the foresight and true courage,
which are so natural to you as an Englishman that you are hardly
conscious of possessing them, France would become the greatest nation in
the world.

MARGARET. Three cheers for old England! [She shakes hands with him
warmly].

BOBBY. Hurra-a-ay! And so say all of us.

_Duvallet, having responded to Margaret's handshake with enthusiasm,
kisses Juggins on both cheeks, and sinks into his chair, wiping his
perspiring brow._

GILBEY. Well, this sort of talk is above me. Can you make anything out
of it, Knox?

KNOX. The long and short of it seems to be that he cant lawfully marry
my daughter, as he ought after going to prison with her.

DORA. I'm ready to marry Bobby, if that will be any satisfaction.

GILBEY. No you dont. Not if I know it.

MRS KNOX. He ought to, Mr Gilbey.

GILBEY. Well, if thats your religion, Amelia Knox, I want no more of it.
Would you invite them to your house if he married her?

MRS KNOX. He ought to marry her whether or no.

BOBBY. I feel I ought to, Mrs Knox.

GILBEY. Hold your tongue. Mind your own business.

BOBBY. [wildly] If I'm not let marry her, I'll do something downright
disgraceful. I'll enlist as a soldier.

JUGGINS. That is not a disgrace