_Mr. Toov._ Not in _that_ house. Our dear friends the CUMBERBATCHES do everything on such a truly hospitable scale. Now, most people in their position would have considered tea and coffee and sandwiches _quite_ sufficient. Was it a _hot_ supper, my love? _Mrs. Toov._ (_desperately_). Yes--no--_rather_ hot--I didn't notice. You ask such preposterous questions, THEOPHILUS! _Mr. Toov._ I didn't mean to. I was just a little surprised, do you know, at your taking a cab for such a short distance. I thought you might have felt unwell; but perhaps dear Mrs. CUMBERBATCH insisted---- _Mrs. Toov._ Why, of course, Pa; you know how kind and considerate she is; otherwise I should never have dreamed of---- _Mr. Toov._ Just what I thought, my love. But wasn't the cabman rather uncivil? I wonder you gave way to him--unless, of course, he was drunk. _Mrs. Toov._ He _was_--disgracefully drunk, Pa; if you heard so much, you must have noticed that; and how you could sit quietly here and never think of coming to my assistance! Ah, it is hardly for _you_ to reproach me for submitting to his extortion! _Mr. Toov._ Indeed, my love, I'd no idea--you are generally so very firm with cabmen that---- (_Changing the subject._) By-the-bye, I don't know if you noticed a note for you lying on the hall table? It must have come after you left. It looked to me wonderfully like dear Mrs. CUMBERBATCH'S writing, but what could she have to write about when she would be seeing you directly? Did she allude to it at all? _Mrs. Toov._ From ELIZA CUMBERBATCH? No; at least, she--I'll go and get it. (_She goes into the hall and finds the note._) Good gracious, it _is_ ELIZA'S hand! (_She reads it hurriedly under the hall-lamp._) "Just a line. Zenana meeting postponed at last moment. Will let you know when another day fixed. Well, it will save me the trouble of writing to her; but, oh dear, the stories I've been telling Pa! But he's as bad--I _know_ he's as bad! _Mr. Toov._ (_as_ Mrs. T. _returns_). So you found the note, CORNELIA, and what does Mrs. CUMBERBATCH say? _Mrs. Toov._ (_putting the note in the fire_). It--it was only from--from my dressmaker. (_To herself._) He _drives_ me to this! _Mr. Toov._ (_again uneasy_). Do you know, CORNELIA, I--I may be wrong, but I've a very strong suspicion that---- _Mrs. Toov._ (_in terror_). Pa, speak out! In--in the name of Heaven, _what_ is it you suspect? _Mr. Toov._ It's getting stronger every moment. I'm sure of it. My love, there's a strange man downstairs in the kitchen! _Mrs. Toov._ (_with a gasp of relief_). A man! Oh, this must be seen into at once! (_She rings the bell furiously; presently_ PH[OE]BE _appears, evidently only half-awake_.) PH[OE]BE, what does this mean? I insist on the truth! _Ph[oe]be_. I'm very sorry m'm, but I'd no idea you was home, and I was sitting up for you downstairs, and I expect I must have dropped asleep, and never heard you come in.