Mr Pim Passes By | Page 6

to
you? (Still moving up a little.)
OLIVIA. Don't go, George, there's something we want to talk about.
(DINAH gives a long whistle. All look sheepish and GEORGE _notices
their attitude_.)
GEORGE. Hallo, what's this?
BRIAN (quickly and over back of i.e. table to OLIVIA). Shall I---!
(DINAH pantomimes. "Yes, do.")
OLIVIA (with a roguish loot at DINAH). Yes, (Sticks needle in work.)
BRIAN (stepping out to C.) I've been wanting to tell you all this

morning, sir, only I didn't seem to have an opportunity of getting it out.
GEORGE. Well, what is it?
(BRIAN, taken aback for a moment, looks to OLIVIA _for
encouragement. She nods approval and turning to DINAH, takes her
hand encouragingly-- _)
BRIAN (boldly). I want to marry Dinah, sir.
GEORGE. You want to marry Dinah? God bless my soul!
DINAH (rushing to him below and to his R. _and pulling her cheek
against his coat, and her hands on his shoulder_). Oh, do say you like
the idea, Uncle George.
GEORGE. Like the idea! (Taking her hands from his shoulder.) Have
you heard of this nonsense, Olivia?
(Movement of annoyance from DINAH.)
OLIVIA. They've just this moment told me, George. I think they would
be happy together.
GEORGE (crossing to fire-place L., to BRIAN). And what do you
propose to be happy together on?
BRIAN (R.C.). Well, of course, I know it doesn't amount to much at
present, but we shan't starve.
DINAH. Brian got fifty pounds for a picture last March!
GEORGE (a little upset by this). Oh! (Recovering gamely.) And how
many pictures have you sold since?
BRIAN (gives a nervous look at OLIVIA and DINAH, _who then sits
on settee_ R.). Well, none, but--
GEORGE. None! And I don't wonder. Who the devil is going to buy

pictures with triangular clouds and square sheep? (BRIAN, annoyed,
moves up R.C.) And they call that Art nowadays! Good God, man
(_moving up to the windows_), go outside and look at the clouds!
OLIVIA (busy stitching rings on curtains). If he draws round clouds in
future, George, will you let him marry Dinah?
(GEORGE looks round, annoyed. BRIAN is hopeful and comes down
towards DINAH.)
GEORGE (upset by this, coming down to head of L.C. table). What--
what? Yes, of course, you would be on his side--all this Futuristic
nonsense. (OLIVIA commences to sew.) I'm just taking these clouds as
an example. (Crossing to BRIAN.) I suppose I can see as well as any
man in the county, and I say that clouds aren't triangular.
BRIAN (ingratiatingly). After all, sir, at my age one is naturally
experimenting, and trying to find one's (with a laugh)--well, it sounds
priggish, but one's medium of expression. I shall find out what I want
to do directly, but I think I shall always be able to earn enough to live
on. Well, I have for the last three years.
GEORGE. I see, and now you want to experiment with a wife--
BRIAN. Yes--no--no--
DINAH. Yes, you do,
BRIAN. Yes.
GEORGE. And you propose to experimenting with my niece?
BRIAN (with a shrug). Well, of course, if you--
OLIVIA. You could help the experiment, darling, by giving Dinah a
good allowance until she's twenty-one.
GEORGE. Help the experiment! I don't want to help the experiment.
(Crossing up to writing-table.)

OLIVIA (apologetically). Oh, I thought you did.
GEORGE. You will talk as if I was made of money. What with taxes
always going up and rents always going down, it's as much as we can
do to rub along as we are (to back of L.C. table), without making
allowances to everybody who thinks she wants to get married. (To
BRIAN.) And that's thanks to you, my friend.
BRIAN (surprised). To me?
OLIVIA. You never told me, darling. What's Brian been doing?
DINAH (indignantly). He hasn't been doing anything.
GEORGE (round to foot of table L.C.). He's one of your Socialists who
go turning the country upside down.
OLIVIA. But even Socialists must get married sometimes.
GEORGE (crossing below OLIVIA to fireplace). I don't see any
necessity.
OLIVIA. But you'd have nobody to damn after dinner, darling, if they
all died out.
BRIAN (coming a little C.). Really, sir, I don't see what my politics and
my art have got to do with it. I'm perfectly ready not to talk about either
when I'm in your house, and as Dinah doesn't seem to object to them----
DINAH (moving towards BRIAN and championing him). I should
think she doesn't.
GEOEOE. Oh, you can get round the women, I daresay.
BRIAN. Well, it's Dinah I want to marry and live with. So what it
really comes to is that you don't think I can support a wife.
GEORGE. Well, if you're going to do it by selling pictures, I don't
think you can.

BRIAN (moving