Mr. Pim Passes By Part 8

PIM. The apology should come from me, Mr. Marden, for having--er--

GEORGE. Not at all. Very glad to meet you now. Any friend of Brymer's.

You want a letter to this man Fanshawe?

OLIVIA. Shall I be in your way at all?

PIM. Oh, no, no, please don't.

GEOBGE. Oh, no. It's only just a question of a letter. Fanshawe will put you in the way of seeing all that you want to see. (_Crossing up to writing-table, sits_.) He's a very old friend of mine. (_Taking a sheet of notepaper and turning in chair to_ PIM.) You'll stay to lunch, of course?

PIM. It's very kind of you, but I'm lunching with the Trevors. (_Sits settee R. and puts down his hat and gloves_.)

GEORGE. Ah, well, they'll look after you all right. Good chap, Trevor.

PIM. Oh, very good ... very good. (_To_ OLIVIA.) You see, Mrs. Marden, I have only recently arrived from Australia--(OLIVIA _stops in her sewing and_ GEORGE _looks up_)--after travelling about the world for some years, and I'm rather out of touch with my--er--fellow-workers in London.

OLIVIA. I see! You've been in Australia, Mr. Pim?

PIM. Oh, yes, I----

GEORGE (_after a loud cough_). Sorry to keep you waiting, Mr. Pim. I shan't be a moment.

PIM. Oh, that's all right, thank you. (_To_ OLIVIA.) Oh, yes, I have been in Australia more than once in the last few years.

OLIVIA. Really? I used to live at Sydney many years ago. Do you know Sydney at all?

PIM. Oh, yes, I was----

GEORGE (_coughing_). H'r'm! Perhaps I'd better mention that you are a friend of the Trevors?

PIM. Thank you, thank you. (_To_ OLIVIA.) Indeed yes, I spent several months in Sydney a few years ago.

OLIVIA. How curious! I wonder if we have any friends in common there.

GEORGE (_coughing and gruffly_). Extremely unlikely, I should think.

Sydney is a very big place.

PIM. True, true, but the world is a very small place, Mr. Marden. I had a remarkable instance of that, coming over on the boat this last time.

GEORGE. Ah! (_Feeling that the conversation is now safe, he resumes his letter_.)

PIM. Yes. There was a man I used to employ in Sydney some years ago, a bad fellow, I'm afraid, Mrs. Marden, who had been in prison for some kind of fraudulent company-promoting and had taken to drink and--and so on.

OLIVIA. Yes, yes, I understand.

PIM. Drinking himself to death, I should have said. I gave him at the most another year to live. Yet to my amazement the first person I saw as I stepped on board the boat that brought me to England last week was this fellow. There was no mistaking him. I spoke to him, in fact; we recognized each other.

(GEORGE _rises_.)

OLIVIA. Really?

PIM. He was travelling steerage; we didn't meet again on board, and as it happened at Ma.r.s.eilles, this poor fellow--er--now what was his name? A very unusual one. Began with a--a T, I think.

OLIVIA (_with suppressed feeling_). Yes, Mr. Pim, yes? (_She puts out a hand to_ GEORGE.)

GEORGE (_in an undertone, taking her hand_). Nonsense, dear!

PIM (_triumphantly_). I've got it! Telworthy!

OLIVIA (_draws back in settee, overcome_). Telworthy!

GEORGE. Good G.o.d!

PIM (_a little surprised at the success of his story_). An unusual name, is it not? Not a name you could forget when once you had heard it.

OLIVIA (_with feeling, gazing into s.p.a.ce with hands clenched_). No, it is not a name you could forget when once you had heard it.

GEORGE (_hastily coming over to_ PIM). Quite so, Mr. Pim, a most remarkable name, a most odd story altogether. Well, well, here's your letter--(PIM _rises and tales letter_)--and if you're sure you won't stay to lunch----

PIM. No, thank you. You see, I'm lunching with----

GEORGE. With the Trevors, yes. I remember you told me. (_Taking his arm and hurrying him up_ C.) I'll just see you on your way.... (_To_ OLIVIA, _who does not notice_ PIM _holding out his hand to say good-bye_.) Er--my dear----

OLIVIA (_holding out her hand, but not looking at him_). Good-bye, Mr.

Pim.

PIM (_shaking hands with_ OLIVIA). Good-bye, good-bye!

GEORGE (_taking him by the arm up_ L. _towards the windows_). This way, this way. Quicker for you.

PIM, Thank you, thank you.

(GEORGE _hurries him up_ C. _and he exits to_ L. OLIVIA _looks into the past and shudders_. GEORGE _comes back to_ C.)

GEORGE. Good G.o.d! Telworthy! (ANNE _enters from up_ R. _and comes to foot of staircase_.) Is it possible?

(_Before_ OLIVIA _can answer,_ LADY MARDEN _is announced_.)

ANNE. Lady Marden.

(GEORGE _crosses down to_ OLIVIA _and touches her on the shoulder. They pull themselves together, and_ OLIVIA _rises and is crossing towards_ C.

_to greet_ LADY MARDEN, _who does not appear_.)

QUICK CURTAIN.

ACT II