HECTOR. Good practice for you. Come on. BETTY. [_Leaning against the other table, and turning and facing them._] Besides, _he_ has something to tell you. HECTOR. Walter? BETTY. Yes. HECTOR. [_Looking inquiringly at_ WALTER.] To tell _me?_ What is it? BETTY. That he's engaged. HECTOR. [_Shouting, as he leans across the table._] Never! Walter! Engaged? You? WALTER. [_Nervously._] Yes. HECTOR. [_Noisily and affectionately._] You old scoundrel! You rascal and villain! Engaged--and you don't come and tell _me_ first! Well I--am--damned! WALTER. [_Trying to take it gaily._] I knew you'd chaff me about it. HECTOR. Chaff you! Silly old coon! why I'm glad! Of course we shall miss you--but marriage--it's the only thing, my boy--the only thing! Who is she? Do I know her? WALTER. [_Mumbling, as he fingers the cards._] A friend of Betty's--I fancy you've met her-- HECTOR. Who? BETTY. Mary Gillingham. We're the first to know--he only proposed to-day. HECTOR. Gillingham, Gillingham.... Oh yes, I've seen her, just seen her, but I don't remember.... I say, not the daughter of the sealing-wax man? WALTER. Yes. HECTOR. Then there's lots of tin! Fine! Oh you artful old dodger! Is she pretty? WALTER. So-So. BETTY. [_Still leaning against the table, and looking at them both._] She's excessively pretty. She has yellow hair and blue eyes. HECTOR. [_Chuckling._] And she has caught old Wallie. The cynical old Wallie who sniffed at women! Though perhaps it's the money-- BETTY. No. He's in love with her. HECTOR. That's good. I'm glad. And I congratulate you--heartily, my boy. [_He seizes_ WALTER'S _hand, and wrings it._] We must drink to it! [_He gets up, goes to the side-table, and pours some whiskey into a tumbler._] Charge your glass, Walter! [WALTER _rises and goes to the side-table._] Ladies and gentlemen. I give you the bride and bridegroom! [_He fills the glass from the syphon and passes it to_ WALTER, _then proceeds to fill his own._] Betty, you must join us. BETTY. [_Quietly._] No. HECTOR. You can't toast him in water, of course. Has she cleared away yet? I'll get you some Hock. [_He puts his glass down and moves to the door at back._ BETTY. Don't be so silly. I won't drink at all. HECTOR. [_Amazed._] Not to old Walter? BETTY. [_Steadily._] No. HECTOR. Why? BETTY. [_Almost jeeringly._] Because--old Walter--has been my lover. HECTOR. [_Stopping, and staring at her._] What? BETTY. [_Calmly, looking full at him._] My lover ... these last two years. HECTOR. [_Staring stupidly at her._] He has been-- BETTY. [_Impatiently, as she taps the floor with her foot._] Yes, yes. How often must I tell you? My lover--don't you know what that means? Why do you stare at me with those fat goggle-eyes of yours? He has been my lover--and now he has fallen in love with this girl and means to marry her. That's all. HECTOR. [_Turning towards_ WALTER, _who hasn't stirred from the side-table._] What? You?