CONRAD.  No.

BURGE.  Is it about the House of Lords?

CONRAD.  No.

BURGE.  Is it about Proportional Representation?

CONRAD.  No.

SURGE.  Is it about Free Trade?

CONRAD.  No.

SURGE.  Is it about the priest in the school?

CONRAD.  No.

BURGE.  Is it about Ireland?

CONRAD.  No.

BURGE.  Is it about Germany?

CONRAD.  No.

BURGE.  Well, is it about Republicanism?  Come!  I wont flinch.  Is it about the Monarchy?

CONRAD.  No.

SURGE.  Well, what the devil is it about, then?

CONRAD.  You understand that I am asking the question in the character of a laborer who earned thirteen shillings a week before the war and earns thirty now, when he can get it?

BURGE.  Yes:  I understand that.  I am ready for you.  Out with it.

CONRAD.  And whom you propose to represent n parliament?

SURGE.  Yes, yes, yes.  Come on.

CONRAD.  The question is this.  Would you allow your son to marry my daughter, or your daughter to marry my son?

BURGE [taken aback] Oh, come!  Thats not a political question.

CONRAD.  Then, as a biologist, I don’t take the slightest interest in your politics; and I shall not walk across the street to vote for you or anyone else at the election.  Good evening.

LUBIN.  Serve you right, Burge!  Dr Barnabas:  you have my assurance that my daughter shall marry the man of her choice, whether he be lord or laborer.  May I count on your support?

SURGE [hurling the epithet at him] Humbug!

SAVVY.  Stop. [They all stop short in the movement of leave-taking to look at her].  Daddy:  are you going to let them off like this?  How are they to know anything if nobody ever tells them?  If you don’t, I will.

CONRAD.  You cant.  You didn’t read my book; and you know nothing about it.  You just hold your tongue.

SAVVY.  I just wont, Nunk.  I shall have a vote when I am thirty; and I ought to have it now.  Why are these two ridiculous people to be allowed to come in and walk over us as if the world existed only to play their silly parliamentary game?

FRANKLYN [severely] Savvy:  you really must not be uncivil to our guests.

SAVVY.  I’m sorry.  But Mr Lubin didn’t stand on much ceremony with me, did he?  And Mr Burge hasnt addressed a single word to me.  I’m not going to stand it.  You and Nunk have a much better program than either of them.  It’s the only one we are going to vote for; and they ought to be told about it for the credit of the family and the good of their own souls.  You just tip them a chapter from the gospel of the brothers Barnabas, Daddy.

Lubin and Burge turn inquiringly to Franklyn, suspecting a move to form a new party.

FRANKLYN.  It is quite true, Mr Lubin, that I and my brother have a little program of our own which—­