_Mrs. V. T._ Agnes shall sample matrimony with Regie; see just what it is like; and then be prepared to select a second time with wisdom and discrimination—like her aged and venerable cousin. _Stuart (hesitatingly)._ Will you pardon the question,—but was Mr.—was, ah, the brother of Reginald anything like, ah, his brother? _Mrs. V. T. (laughing)._ Very! _Stuart (confidentially)._ What did you do with him? _Mrs. V. T._ On the day we married, he put a ring on my finger; I put one through his nose. Then he led very nicely. _Stuart._ And is that your ideal of a husband? _Mrs. V. T._ Unless I find a man capable of not merely doing the leading, but by whom I shall wish to be led. _Stuart._ And how is this man to prove his capacity? _Mrs. V. T._ Oh, it’s merely a matter of cleverness or mastery. Let a man outwit me, and I will (_curtseys_) ever after sign myself, “Your obedient, humble servant.” _Stuart._ Don’t you see that you are bribing your own undoing? _Mrs. V. T._ How so? _Stuart._ Why, your conditions are almost in the nature of a challenge. Now you know, of course, Mrs. Van Tromp, that I don’t love you, yet you make me want to enter the rather formidable competition just to see if I couldn’t get the better of you. _Mrs. V. T. (laughing)._ Well, I have no wish to balk you. But it must be a game of forfeits. If you fail, you must pay a penalty. _Stuart._ Isn’t failure to win Mrs. Van Tromp penalty enough? _Mrs. V. T._ Not to so confirmed a bachelor as Mr. Stuart. Come, if you beat me, I will do any one thing you wish; if you are beaten, you must do the one thing I wish. Is it a bargain? _Stuart._ Done! (_Kissing Mrs. V. T.’s hand._) Perdition have my soul! _Mrs. V. T._ And now for my domino. [_Hurries up and exits l. d._ _Stuart (at l. d.)._ But, Mrs. Van Tromp, you haven’t told me in what I am to beat you? [_Exit_ STUART, _l. d._ _Enter_ CHARLIE _and_ AGNES, _b. d._ _Charlie._ Thith ith better than down thairth, Mith Wortley, ithn’t it? _Agnes (sinking into chair c. with sigh)._ Oh, much! _Charlie._ I’ve been wanting to thuggeth it before, Mith Wortley, but that bore Van Tromp wath alwayth round, and if he heard me, he would intrude hith thothiety upon uth. _Agnes._ Why. Mr. Newbank, I thought you were friends. _Charlie._ We uthed to be, till the fellowth came out thuth a thnob. _Agnes._ That is where you men have such an advantage. Now we girls have to put up with every donkey that comes near us. _Charlie._ That ith hard, Mith Wortley. But it theemth to me that you might thave yourthelf by a little diplomathy. _Agnes (eagerly)._ Do tell me how! _Charlie._ Why don’t you get rid of Van Tromp? _Agnes._ Why, I can’t be rude to him. You must remember he is a relation. _Charlie._ I didn’t mean rudneth. _Agnes._ What then?