Colin: My dear—Miss Freeman, I’m not denying the years of adventure, as John calls them. Anyhow, they’ll remain for a good many, whatever we say. But when it comes to arranging a new system, keep adventure for adventure’s sake for the unfortunate artistic people. They’ll hurt themselves. And make a song about it. But if ordinary people get into the habit of fluttering from experience to experience they damned easily lose the stability or the capacity for happiness. And undisturbed love between two people is the highest happiness.
Gwen: But supposing you don’t find it, or make a mistake the first time?
Colin: I’m not denying the right of the ordinary person to experiment, but it ought to be for the definite object of discovering a true lover, and making a lasting marriage.
John: And if you help people to find their real mates, and when they’ve made a mistake, help them out of it quietly and decently, you’ll have many more happy marriages and much less beastliness.
Colin: Yes, I agree.
Margaret (rising): Well, I’m glad we’ve settled that!! Now I’m going home. Good night, Gwen.
Gwen: Good night.
Margaret (to Frankie): Good night ... don’t think me an abandoned woman——
Frankie: I don’t.
Margaret: Good night, John.