Violet.

You drive me mad. It's so serious, it's so tremendously serious, and you have the heart to make little jokes about it.

Arthur.

[Gravely.] Has it ever struck you that flippancy is often the best way of dealing with a serious situation? Sometimes it's really too serious to be taken seriously.

Violet.

What do you mean by that?

Arthur.

Nothing very much. I was excusing myself for my ill-timed jests.

Violet.

You're determined to keep Ronny here?