GEORGE (disliking Australia). I shan't be a moment, Mr. Pim. (He frowns at OLIVIA.)
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?
GEORGE (detesting Sydney). 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.
OLIVIA. How curious. I wonder if we have any friends in common there.
GEORGE (hastily). Extremely unlikely, I should think. Sydney is a very big place.
PIM. 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.