THEOPHILA. [_Feebly._] Oh, no. SIR FLETCHER PORTWOOD. I shall dine at the House, and then sup at the club. All London shall see me. “Look at Portwood!” everybody will say. “Then there can’t be the slightest foundation for this scandal about his niece——!” [_He goes out._ CLAUDE. [_Looking after him._] Transparent old egotist! How do I know whether I’m in his Will or not? And yet I stand here and allow him to lecture me! Me! Ha, compare his education with mine! And what real knowledge has he of Life, of Men and Women——? [_Showing_ JUSTINA _his telegram_.] Is that the way you spell Bernhart? JUSTINA. [_Reading the telegram._] No; h-a-r-_d_-t. What’s this? CLAUDE. [_In an undertone._] The Wartons wanted to take me to see Bernhardt to-night. Of course, I can’t go _now_. A marked man! every eye upon me! her brother! [_Going to the door, he meets_ FRASER.] ’Ullo, Fraser! [CLAUDE _goes out_; FRASER, _who is carrying his hat and gloves, walks across the room, eyeing_ JUSTINA. JUSTINA. [_To_ FRASER.] Do you want to speak to Theo? FRASER. Oh—just for one moment—— [THEOPHILA _rises_; JUSTINA _goes to her_. JUSTINA. Never mind, old girl. [_With a little laugh._] Ha! I suppose this has queered my pitch for a season or two, but—[_kissing her_]—never mind—[_going to the door_]—these things will happen in the best regulated—— [_She disappears. There is a brief silence, during which_ THEOPHILA _closes the doors_. FRASER. Have you told your people? THEOPHILA. Yes. FRASER. How do they take it? THEOPHILA. All right—pretty well. Mother is lying down for a bit. She’ll be quite herself again in a few days. FRASER. [_Thoughtfully._] A few days—will she? [_Partly to himself._] In a few days? THEOPHILA. She’ll have a week at Worthing. She’s always had a week at Worthing when we’ve been in any trouble. You’ve got your hat, Alec; do you mean to dine out? FRASER. To-night! THEOPHILA. [_Weakly._] Oh, don’t be so sharp with me! All the way home from the Strand you’d hardly speak a word. FRASER. [_Sitting on the settee._] I was thinking over what we’d been listening to. THEOPHILA. Yes, the things sounded much worse in Court than they did out of it, didn’t they? FRASER. [_His head bowed._] Awful!