BILL. [Coolly] Thought you might like to know. [He, too, goes out into the corridor.] CHRISTINE. Great heavens! JOAN. How awful! CHRISTINE. I never thought of anything as bad as that. JOAN. Oh! Chris! Something must be done! DOT. [Suddenly to herself] Ha! When Father went up to have his glove buttoned! There is a sound, JACKSON has came in from the corridor. JACKSON. [To Dot] If you please, Miss, Studdenham's brought up the other two pups. He's just outside. Will you kindly take a look at them, he says? There is silence. DOT. [Suddenly] We can't. CHRISTINE. Not just now, Jackson. JACKSON. Is Studdenham and the pups to wait, Mm? DOT shakes her head violently. But STUDDENHAM is seen already standing in the doorway, with a spaniel puppy in either side-pocket. He comes in, and JACKSON stands waiting behind him. STUDDENHAM. This fellow's the best, Miss DOT. [He protrudes the right-hand pocket] I was keeping him for my girl--a proper greedy one--takes after his father. The girls stare at him in silence. DOT. [Hastily] Thanks, Studdenham, I see. STUDDENHAM. I won't take 'em out in here. They're rather bold yet. CHRISTINE. [Desperately] No, no, of course. STUDDENHAM. Then you think you'd like him, Miss DOT? The other's got a white chest; she's a lady. [He protrudes the left-hand pocket.] DOT. Oh, yes! Studdenham; thanks, thanks awfully. STUDDENHAM. Wonderful faithful creatures; follow you like a woman. You can't shake 'em off anyhow. [He protrudes the right-hand pocket] My girl, she'd set her heart on him, but she'll just have to do without. DOT. [As though galvanised] Oh! no, I can't take it away from her. STUDDENHAM. Bless you, she won't mind! That's settled, then. [He turns to the door. To the PUPPY] Ah! would you! Tryin' to wriggle out of it! Regular young limb! [He goes out, followed by JACKSON.] CHRISTINE. How ghastly! DOT. [Suddenly catching sight of the book in her hand] "Caste!" [She gives vent to a short sharp laugh.] The curtain falls. ACT III It is five o'clock of the same day. The scene is the smoking-room, with walls of Leander red, covered by old steeplechase and hunting prints. Armchairs encircle a high ferulered hearth, in which a fire is burning. The curtains are not yet drawn across mullioned windows, but electric light is burning. There are two doors, leading, the one to the billiard-room, the other to a corridor. BILL is pacing up and doom; HAROLD, at the fireplace, stands looking at him with commiseration. BILL. What's the time? HAROLD. Nearly five. They won't be in yet, if that's any consolation. Always a tough meet--[softly] as the tiger said when he ate the man. BILL. By Jove! You're the only person I can stand within a mile of me, Harold.