KATHERINE. I read the account of your second meeting at Toulmin.
BANNING. It's bad, Mrs. More—bad. There's no disguising it. That speech was moon-summer madness—Ah! it was! Take a lot of explaining away. Why did you let him, now? Why did you? Not your views, I'm sure!
[He looks at her, but for answer she only compresses her lips.]
BANNING. I tell you what hit me—what's hit the whole constituency— and that's his knowing we were over the frontier, fighting already, when he made it.
KATHERINE. What difference does it make if he did know?
HOME. Hitting below the belt—I should have thought—you'll pardon me!
BANNING. Till war's begun, Mrs. More, you're entitled to say what you like, no doubt—but after! That's going against your country. Ah! his speech was strong, you know—his speech was strong.
KATHERINE. He had made up his mind to speak. It was just an accident the news coming then.
[A silence.]
BANNING. Well, that's true, I suppose. What we really want is to make sure he won't break out again.