_Althea_ (_to herself_). Mine had to be left all night in a thorough draught. Where _could_ Mamma have been, unless----? _Mrs. Toov._ (_with dignity_). I came home in a smoky cab, and you know perfectly well this is not the place to ask me such questions. Leave the room! _Ph[oe]be_ (_to herself, as she leaves_). A smoky cab indeed! There's no smoke without fire--as Master will find out before long! _Charles._ Had your cabman been giving a smoking party inside his fourwheeler, or what, Aunt? _Mrs. Toov._ I don't--yes, I believe he had. He apologised for it; it--it was his birthday. (_To herself._) Oh, dear me, _what_ makes me tell these dreadful stories? _Mr. Toovey._ His birthday! Why, if you remember, CORNELIA, you _said_ the man had been drinking. That would _account_ for it! But did I understand there was to be _another_ Zenana Meeting, my love? That seems _rather_ soon, does it not, after having one only last Saturday! _Mrs. Toov._ (_to herself_). I _must_ go on, or he'll suspect something. (_Aloud, severely._) And why not, Pa--pray, why not? You know what an energetic creature Mrs. CUMBERBATCH is! _Can_ we do too much for those poor benighted heathen women? And there was a great deal that we had to leave unfinished the other evening. _Mr. Toov._ Dear me, and you were home so late, too! _Mrs. Toov._ Perhaps you disbelieve my word, Pa? If you do, _say_ so, and I shall know what to think! Though _what_ I've done to deserve such suspicion---- _Mr. Toov._ (_astounded_). My own love, I never for one single moment---- Hem, the wife of Cæsar is above suspicion. _Mrs. Toov._ (_with relief_). I should hope so, THEOPHILUS; not that you are _Cæsar_--but there, that is enough of a very painful subject. Let us say no more about it. _Curphew_ (_to himself_). I'm more certain every moment that this immaculate matron is lying like a prospectus, but what can I do? I've no proof, and if I had, I couldn't bring myself to---- Well, I must wait, that's all. _Mrs. Toov._ What _I_ should like to know is, why Mr. CURPHEW still remains here after we have distinctly informed him that we do not desire his further acquaintance? CURPH. Before I go, let me say this: that I have no intention of giving up your daughter until she gives up me. I am in a position to marry and support her, and if you refuse your consent, you will only reduce us to the painful necessity of doing without it. [ALTHEA _intimates her entire acquiescence in this ultimatum_. _Mrs. Toov._ We will never consent to give our daughter to a notorious music-hall singer--_never_! _Curph._ That objection is easily met. I am no longer a music-hall singer. I have left the profession for ever; not that I consider it any disgrace to belong to it, but I prefer to live by my pen in future. (_To_ Mr. T.) I appeal to _you_, Sir. You had no objection before; what can you have now? [Mr. T. _opens his lips inaudibly_.