LADY PATRICIA. I—I’m all right now.... (_A pause. The nightingale starts singing._) DEAN. (_To CLARE._) I think it is high time to go.... Did you see whether the carriage had arrived? CLARE. Yes, it’s there. MRS. O’FARREL. Come, Bill, we must be getting home. DEAN. (_Solemnly._) I have several weighty additions to make to my sermon to-morrow—additions which certain events to-night have suggested. I trust you will all be at the Cathedral for morning service. (_An awkward silence. The DEAN waves his hand towards the central ladder._) Mrs. O’Farrel.... (_MRS. O’FARREL passes and descends._) Clare.... (_CLARE passes him and descends. He says with impressive unconcern_:) The nightingale sings most divinely to-night! (_He goes out, BILL following him with a hang-dog air. BALDWIN enters on the left just as LADY PATRICIA and MICHAEL move to the central ladder._) BALDWIN. If you please, sir.... MICHAEL. What is it, Baldwin? What is it? BALDWIN. If you please, sir, will you be using them lanterns agin to-night? MICHAEL. No. BALDWIN. Then I ’ad better take ’em down, sir? MICHAEL. Yes, take them down. (_To LADY PATRICIA._) Come, dear. (_BALDWIN starts fiddling about with the strings of the lanterns._) LADY PATRICIA. (_Wearily._) Yes, darling. BALDWIN. (_Lowering the first lamp._) Whoa!... LADY PATRICIA. (_Speaking in a passionate whisper._) Will you love me, Michael, always—always—and no matter what may happen? MICHAEL. (_Taking her hands._) I? How can you ask? But you—could you still love me if—if—— LADY PATRICIA. If——? MICHAEL. If I were unworthy? LADY PATRICIA. You! (_They descend the central ladder._) BALDWIN. (_Lowering the second lantern._) Whoa!... (_He blows out the candle and folds the lamp up. Then he goes leisurely for the next lantern and lowers it._) Whoa!... (_He blows it out, folds it up and goes for the next lantern and the curtain descends while he is lowering it. When it rises again, he says_:) Whoa!... (_And folds it up._) (END OF THE SECOND ACT.) THE THIRD ACT SCENE:—_The Deanery garden. At the back is a wing of the Deanery, red-bricked, Norman-arched, with mullioned windows and a heavy door opening on to the lawn. On the right, three-quarters across the background, the house ends, and an old machicholated wall begins, with a great brass-studded double gateway in the middle of it, in the left side of which is a wicket with grating. The door opens on the Deanery Close and a view of the Cathedral in the distance. The garden is all lawn, flower-bed, and old trees. From the great door, and running diagonally across the stage and out to the left in front, is a stone-flagged path. Another path from the house-door joins it about the centre of the stage. On the lawn in the foreground stands a table spread for breakfast, with two chairs beside it. It is a brilliant Sunday morning in June._