We won’t discuss the matter any further, my child. You are very young and headstrong and inexperienced, and must learn to repose implicit faith in your father’s judgment. You are not to see this young man again. CLARE. I’m sorry, father, but I refuse to obey you. DEAN. Clare! CLARE. It’s grossly unjust—it’s mean and horrid. I won’t do such a caddish thing even for you. I am going to see him now. (_JOHN enters and goes to the gateway._) DEAN. Clare, remember I have forbidden it. CLARE. (_Beside herself._) I don’t care! I’m going to him now! I won’t go to church to be preached at. I’m going to him. You can turn me out of your house, if you like, father. But I won’t obey you. I won’t. (_She storms into the house._) DEAN. Clare, how dare you! (_Directly she has disappeared, he laughs heartily._) Oh! Most satisfactory. (_He changes plates and commences on CLARE’S untouched omelette. JOHN, who has looked through the grating and recognised BALDWIN outside, goes to the DEAN._) JOHN. Mr. Cosway’s gardener has just called again, sir. DEAN. Very well. Bring him round. JOHN. Yes, sir. (_He goes to the gateway and opens the wicket. The DEAN continues eating his breakfast. BALDWIN enters in Sunday broadcloth and a broad-brimmed, black, soft felt hat. He carries an abnormally large prayer-book and hymn-book._) JOHN. Mr. Baldwin, sir. (_JOHN goes out._) DEAN. Ah.... Good morning, Baldwin. BALDWIN. Mornin’, sir. DEAN. You have a message for me from her ladyship? BALDWIN. Yessir. (_He places his two books on the ground, plunges into his right-hand breast-pocket and produces a letter._) I would ’a lef’ this at the door, sir, without troublin’ you, but ’er ladyship when she give it me said most particular as I was to ’and it to you personal, sir. DEAN. Quite so. Quite so. (_Opens the envelope and reads._) BALDWIN. (_After fumbling in the left-hand breast-pocket, produces a second letter._) And ’ere’s the other letter, sir. DEAN. Eh, what? Another? BALDWIN. Yessir. As I was leavin’ ’ome, the master come up and give it me, and said most particular as I was to ’and it to you personal. DEAN. Oh.... (_Takes the letter and reads it through._) Er—thank you.... I understand you’ve been to visit the grave of the late Mrs. Baldwin? BALDWIN. I ’ave that, sir. She was a good wife to me, sir, though she did give me ondly two.... I’ve ’ad thirteen, sir, an’ two of ’em by ’er. DEAN. Thirteen! Excellent! Excellent! BALDWIN. Yessir. Thirteen’s an onlucky number, I’ve ’eard tell, but I ain’t suspicious. DEAN. (_Laughing gently._) And how many of the thirteen are girls, Baldwin? BALDWIN.