MARY. Do you want him here?
MR MARCH. Yes.
MARY. [Dubiously] Well--if I can.
She goes out. A silence, during which the MARCHES look at each
other by those turns which characterise exasperated domesticity.
MRS MARCH. If she doesn't go, Johnny must. Are you going to turn him
out?
MR MARCH. Of course not. We must reason with him.
MRS MARCH. Reason with young people whose lips were glued together half
an hour ago! Why ever did you force me to take this girl?
MR MARCH. [Ruefully] One can't always resist a kindly impulse, Joan.
What does Mr Bly say to it?
MRS MARCH. Mr Bly? "Follow your instincts" and then complains of his
daughter for following them.
MR MARCH. The man's a philosopher.
MRS MARCH. Before we know where we are, we shall be having Johnny
married to that girl.
MR MARCH. Nonsense!
MRS MARCH. Oh, Geof! Whenever you're faced with reality, you say
"Nonsense!" You know Johnny's got chivalry on the brain.
MARY comes in.
MARY. He's at the top of the servants' staircase; outside her room.
He's sitting in an armchair, with its back to her door.
MR MARCH. Good Lord! Direct action!
MARY. He's got his pipe, a pound of chocolate, three volumes of "Monte
Cristo," and his old concertina.
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