Act II

On the afternoon of the same day, Mrs Knox is writing notes in her
drawing-room, at a writing-table which stands against the wall.
Anyone placed so as to see Mrs Knox's left profile, will have the door
on the right and the window an the left, both further away than Mrs
Knox, whose back is presented to an obsolete upright piano at the
opposite side of the room. The sofa is near the piano. There is a
small table in the middle of the room, with some gilt-edged books and
albums on it, and chairs near it.

Mr Knox comes in almost furtively, a troubled man of fifty, thinner,
harder, and uglier than his partner, Gilbey, Gilbey being a soft
stoutish man with white hair and thin smooth skin, whilst Knox has
coarse black hair, and blue jaws which no diligence in shaving can
whiten. Mrs Knox is a plain woman, dressed without regard to fashion,
with thoughtful eyes and thoughtful ways that make an atmosphere of
peace and some solemnity. She is surprised to see her husband at home
during business hours.

MRS KNOX. What brings you home at this hour? Have you heard
anything?

KNOX. No. Have you?

MRS KNOX. No. Whats the matter?

KNOX. [sitting down on the sofa] I believe Gilbey has found out.

MRS KNOX. What makes you think that?

KNOX. Well, I dont know: I didnt like to tell you: you have enough
to worry you without that; but Gilbey's been very queer ever since it
happened. I cant keep my mind on business as I ought; and I was
depending on him. But hes worse than me. Hes not looking after
anything; and he keeps out of my way. His manner's not natural. He
hasnt asked us to dinner; and hes never said a word about our not
asking him to dinner, after all these years when weve dined every week
as regular as clockwork. It looks to me as if Gilbey's trying to drop
me socially. Well, why should he do that if he hasnt heard?

MRS KNOX. I wonder! Bobby hasnt been near us either: thats what I
cant make out.

KNOX. Oh, thats nothing. I told him Margaret was down in Cornwall
with her aunt.

MRS KNOX. [reproachfully] Jo! [She takes her handkerchief from
the writing-table and cries a little].

KNOX. Well, I got to tell lies, aint I? You wont. Somebody's got to
tell em.

MRS KNOX. [putting away her handkerchief] It only ends in our not
knowing what to believe. Mrs Gilbey told me Bobby was in Brighton for
the sea air. Theres something queer about that. Gilbey would never
let the boy loose by himself among the temptations of a gay place like
Brighton without his tutor; and I saw the tutor in Kensington High
Street the very day she told me.

KNOX. If the Gilbeys have found out, it's all over between Bobby and
Margaret, and all over between us and them.