[_Clutching his arm._] I will make you forgive me for it; I will make you! [_He releases himself from her, almost roughly, and moves away, turning his back upon her._] Of course, you will not mention to Mrs. Fraser that you and I are in any way—in any way——? JOHN. Reconciled! [_Sitting on the settee, laughing wildly._] Ha, ha, ha——! [_Turning to her._] Why not? OLIVE. Naturally, she wouldn’t open her lips to you at all if you did. JOHN. [_Waving her away._] Faugh! OLIVE. [_Her hand to her brow._] You are—very—polite—[_She walks slowly and painfully towards the steps, pausing in her walk, and referring to her watch._] John, when the talk between you and Mrs. Fraser has—gone far enough, I will strike ten on the bell of the little clock in here. You understand? JOHN. When you are satisfied! OLIVE. [_Beginning to ascend the steps, with the aid of the balustrade._] When I am satisfied. JOHN. Olive——! [_She stops._] It’s not too late now for us to think better of playing this infernally mean trick upon her. OLIVE. [_Steadily, in a low hard voice._] Why, nothing can arise, during this interview, injurious, in the mind of any fair person, to Mrs. Fraser’s reputation? JOHN. [_Starting to his feet._] Nothing! nothing! OLIVE. Then I am clearly serving Mrs. Fraser’s interests by what I am doing. [_She disappear into the library. After a brief pause_, JOHN _hastily goes to the dining-room door, and opens it slightly_. JOHN. Mrs. Cloys! Mrs. Cloys! MRS. CLOYS. [_From the dining-room._] Yes. JOHN. Let me speak to you? [MRS. CLOYS _enters; he closes the door sharply, speaking hurriedly and excitedly_.] I—I have altered my mind about meeting Mrs. Fraser—— MRS. CLOYS. Altered your mind——? JOHN. I have sent a note to her by her messenger asking her to see me here. MRS. CLOYS. Mr. Allingham, I protest against this as quite unnecessary. JOHN. Pardon me. [_Producing_ THEOPHILA’S _letter, and speaking disjointedly, uneasily_.] On—on consideration, it seems to me that—that—for everybody’s sake, I have to satisfy my wife that Mrs. Fraser’s presence is due solely to the most innocent causes. MRS. CLOYS. Mrs. Allingham has, I take it, arrived at certain conclusions as to the motive of my visit? JOHN. She has. MRS. CLOYS.