CONRAD [not at all affably] I am the Conrad in question. [He sits down in dudgeon on the vacant Chippendale].

LUBIN.  Are you? [Looking at him pleasantly] Yes:  of course you are.  I never forget a face.  But [with an arch turn of his eyes to Savvy] your pretty niece engaged all my powers of vision.

BURGE.  I wish youd be serious, Lubin.  God knows we have passed through times terrible enough to make any man serious.

LUBIN.  I do not think I need to be reminded of that.  In peace time I used to keep myself fresh for my work by banishing all worldly considerations from my mind on Sundays; but war has no respect for the Sabbath; and there have been Sundays within the last few years on which I have had to play as many as sixty-six games of bridge to keep my mind off the news from the front.

BURGE [scandalized] Sixty-six games of bridge on Sunday!!!

LUBIN.  You probably sang sixty-six hymns.  But as I cannot boast either your admirable voice or your spiritual fervor, I had to fall back on bridge.

FRANKLYN.  If I may go back to the subject of your visit, it seems to me that you may both be completely superseded by the Labor Party.

BURGE.  But I am in the truest sense myself a Labor leader.  I—­[he stops, as Lubin has risen with a half-suppressed yawn, and is already talking calmly, but without a pretence of interest].

LUBIN.  The Labor Party!  Oh no, Mr Barnabas.  No, no, no, no, no. [He moves in Savvy’s direction].  There will be no trouble about that.  Of course we must give them a few seats:  more, I quite admit, than we should have dreamt of leaving to them before the war; but—­[by this time he has reached the sofa where Savvy and Haslam are seated.  He sits down between them; takes her hand; and drops the subject of Labor].  Well, my dear young lady?  What is the latest news?  Whats going on?  Have you seen Shoddy’s new play?  Tell me all about it, and all about the latest books, and all about everything.

SAVVY.  You have not met Mr Haslam.  Our Rector.

LUBIN [who has quite overlooked Haslam] Never heard of him.  Is he any good?

FRANKLYN.  I was introducing him.  This is Mr Haslam.

HASLAM.  How d’ye do?

LUBIN.  I beg your pardon, Mr Haslam.  Delighted to meet you. [To Savvy]
Well, now, how many books have you written?

SAVVY [rather overwhelmed but attracted] None.  I don’t write.

LUBIN.  You dont say so; Well, what do you do?  Music?  Skirt-dancing?

SAVVY.  I dont do anything.

LUBIN.  Thank God!  You and I were born for one another.  Who is your favorite poet, Sally?

SAVVY.  Savvy.

LUBIN.  Savvy!  I never heard of him.  Tell me all about him.  Keep me up to date.

SAVVY.  It’s not a poet. I am Savvy, not Sally.

LUBIN.  Savvy!  Thats a funny name, and very pretty.  Savvy.  It sounds
Chinese.  What does it mean?