(Герберт, его мать, его отец (Мр Санберри как всегда читает газету)).

Scene 6.

(Герберт, его мать, его отец (Мр Санберри как всегда читает газету)).

Herbert: Mum, I’ve asked a young lady to come in to tea tomorrow. Is that all right?

Mrs. Sunburry: You done what?

Herbert: You heard, Mum.

Mrs. Sunburry: And may I ask who she is and how you got to know her?

Herbert: Her name’s Bevan, Betty Bevan, and I met her first at the pictures one Saturday afternoon when it was raining. It was an accident–like. She was sitting next to me and she dropped her bag and I picked it up and she said thank you and so naturally we got talking.

Mrs. Sunburry: And d’you mean to tell me you fell for an old trick like that? Dropped her bag indeed!

Herbert: You’re making a mistake, Mum, she’s a nice girl, she is really and well educated too.

Mrs. Sunburry: And when did all this happen?

Herbert: About three months ago.

Mrs. Sunburry: Oh, you met her three months ago and you’ve asked her to come to tea tomorrow?

Herbert: Well, I’ve seen her since of course. That first day, after the show, I asked her if she’d come to the pictures with me on the Tuesday evening, and she said she didn’t know, perhaps she would and perhaps she wouldn’t. But she came all right.

Mrs. Sunburry: She would. I could have told you that.

Herbert: And we’ve been going to the pictures about twice a week ever since.

Mrs. Sunburry: So that’s why you’ve taken to going out so often?

Herbert: That’s right. But, look, I don’t want to force her on you, if you don’t want her to come to tea I’ll say you’ve got a headache and take her out.

Mr. Sunburry: Your mum will have her to tea all right. (To wife) Won’t you, dear? (To Herbert) It’s only that your mum can’t abide strangers. She never has liked them.

Mrs. Sunburry (задумчиво): I keep myself to myself. What does she do?

Herbert: She works in a typewriting office in the City and she lives at home, if you call it home; you see, her mum died and her dad married again, and they’ve got three kids and she doesn’t get on with her step–ma. Nag, nag, nag all the time, she says. ’

Scene 7.

(Гостинная в доме Санбарри. Мрс и Мр Санбарри. Мрс Санбарри накрывает на стол. Стук в дверь. Дверь открывают и входят Герберт и Мисс Биван).

Herbert: This is Betty, Mum.

Mrs. Sunburry: Miss Bevan, I presume.

Miss Bevan (Betty): That’s right, but call me Betty, won’t you?

Mrs. Sunburry: Perhaps the acquaintance is a bit short for that. Won’t you sit down, Miss Bevan?

(Мрс Санбарри разливает чай. Все садятся за стол. )

Mrs. Sunburry (to husband): Ask Miss Bevan if she’ll have some bread–and–butter or a scone, Samuel, my dear.

Mr. Sunburry: Have both. I like to see people eat hearty.

(Мрс Санбарри разрезает и раскладывает по тарелкам пирог. Бетти чувствует себя очень неловка, она нечаянно роняет тарелку с пирогом)

Betty: Oh, I am sorry!

Mrs. Sunburry: It doesn’t matter at all, I’ll cut you another piece.

Betty: Oh, don’t bother, I’m not particular. The floor’s clean.

Mrs. Sunburry: I hope so, but I wouldn’t dream of letting you eat a piece of cake that’s been on the floor. Bring it here, Herbert, and I’ll give Miss Bevan some more.

Betty: I don’t want any more, Mrs Sunbury, I don’t really.

Mrs. Sunburry: I’m sorry you don’t like my cake. I made it specially for you. (pause) It tastes all right to me.

Betty: It’s not that, Mrs Sunbury, it’s a beautiful cake, it’s only that I’m not hungry. (Герберт достает сигаретту закурить. ) (Betty to Herb) Give us a fag, Herb. I’m simply dying for a smoke.

(Мрс Санбарри удивленно на нее смотрит)

Mrs Sunburry (to Betty): We prefer to call him Herbert, Miss Bevan.

Betty: I know. When he told me his name was Herbert I nearly burst out laughing. Fancy calling anyone Herbert. A scream, I call it.

Mrs. Sunburry: I’m sorry you don’t like the name my son was given at his baptism. I think it’s a very nice name. But I suppose it all depends on what sort of class of people one is.

Herbert (пытаясь смягчить обстановку): At the office they call me Bertie, Mum.

Mrs. Sunburry: Then all I can say is, they’re a lot of very common men.

(Пауза. Девушке не терпиться уйти, видно что ей очень неловко).

Herbert: Well, Betty, I think it’s about time we were getting along. I’ll walk back with you.

Mrs. Sunburry: Must you go already? It’s been a pleasure, I’m sure.

(Бетти и Герберт уходят)

Mr. Sunburry: Pretty little thing.

Mrs. Sunburry: Pretty my foot. All that paint and powder. You take my word for it, she’d look very different with her face washed and without a perm. Common, that’s what she is, common as dirt.