_HOLMAN CLARK (eagerly_). Let me guess. His wife was starv-- _SIR GEORGES_. No, no, don't spoil it. (_Sternly_) It's a very serious thing, HOLMAN, to spoil an actor-manager's big scene. CURTAIN. ACT III. _Daniel Mérital_. Father has won his case. I _am_ glad. Oh, are you there, Father? I'm just going downstairs to count the telegrams. [_Exit. Enter_ Renée. _Renée_. You have won the case? I knew it. I knew you were innocent. _Mérital (nobly_). Renee, I am not innocent. I did steal that ninepence. I would have confessed it before, but I had to think of my family. (_Cheers from the gallery_.) Of course it would also have been unpleasant for _me_ if it had been known, but that did not influence me. (_More cheers_.) I thought only of my children. Let me tell you now _why_ I stole it. _Renée (eagerly_). Let me guess. Your wife was starving-- _Mérital (astounded_). Wonderful! How ever did you know? _Renée_. --and you meant to repay the money. _Mérital_. More and more marvellous. Yes, Renée, that was how it was. But it hardly does justice to the affair. It is too short. I want to tell you the story of my _whole_ life and then you will understand. Watch my face carefully and observe how it works; notice the constant movement of my hands; listen to the inflections of my voice. This is going to be the longest speech ever made by an actor-manager, and you mustn't miss a moment of it. H'r'm! Now then. (_Nobly_) I was born fifty-three years ago. My father.... _Renée (half-an-hour later_). I still love you. _Mérital (with some truth_). What a love yours is! _Enter_ Daniel, Julien _and_ Georgette Mérital. _Daniel_. Father, we have a confession to make. For some time we doubted your innocence. Your face--well, you'd have doubted it yourself if you'd seen it. _Mérital (taking his hand affectionately_). Ah! Daniel, I see I must tell you the story of my life. (_Excitement among the audience_.) And you too, Julien. (_Panic_.) Yes, and--little Georgette! SAFETY CURTAIN. A. A. M. * * * * * [Illustration: THE EARTHLY PARADISE. _Coster_. "SEE THAT, LIZ? THERE'S A COUNTRY FOR YOU!"] * * * * * [Illustration: PEACEFUL PERSUASION. (JONES IS NOT NATURALLY A GENEROUS MAN.)] * * * * * THE ROMANCE OF A BATTLESHIP. _(From the Navy League Annual of 1916.)_ I have just returned (writes a Naval correspondent) from an interesting visit to the condemned battleship, _H.M.S. Indefensible_, which is now anchored off Brightlingsea, in the charge of retired petty-officer Herbert Tompkins and his wife.