LILY. You want to go without me. You’re tired of me.
CHARLEY. Oh, don’t cry, Lil. I didn’t say I was going. Of course I don’t want to leave you, dear. You mustn’t take any notice. [Attempting to take her in his arms.]
LILY. [turning away from him, sobs.] But you do. . . .
CHARLEY. I don’t want to go because I want to leave you. . . .
LILY. But you said. . . .
CHARLEY. Never mind what I said. [He kisses her and pets her like a child.] Come, go to bed. It’s the news—and the excitement about Tennant—and all that. Come, go back to bed and I’ll be up in a few minutes.
CHARLEY leads her to the door and coaxes her outside and stands at the door a few seconds, then he comes back into the room, stands still, looking round. He goes to the front parlour and hunts over the chairs and the piano as if in search of something. Finally he picks up a paper off the floor and brings to table—it is the map of Australia. He opens it on the table and leans over it, his pipe unnoticed burning out in his left hand.
CURTAIN