You see, my own public position, if I may speak of it—— MRS. QUINTON TWELVES. Oh, yes. SIR FLETCHER PORTWOOD. [_Smiling._] And I happen to know the judge—slightly perhaps; but there it is. MRS. QUINTON TWELVES. But judges are not influenced by considerations of that kind? SIR FLETCHER PORTWOOD. Heaven forbid I should say a word against our method of administering law in this country. The House knows my opinion of the English Judicial Bench. At the same time, judges are mortal—I have never concealed that from myself; and Sir William and I have met. [_To_ CLAUDE.] You saw the judge look at me this morning, Claude? CLAUDE. No. SIR FLETCHER PORTWOOD. No? Oh, yes, and I half-smiled in return. Yesterday I couldn’t catch his eye, but today I’ve been half-smiling at him all through the proceedings. JUSTINA _runs in, seats herself at the pianoforte, and thumps out the Wedding March_. JUSTINA. Well, Uncle Fletcher! SIR FLETCHER PORTWOOD. Ah! ha! JUSTINA. What price Mrs. Allingham? MRS. EMPTAGE _returns. She has relieved the heaviness of her dress by a fichu of_ crêpe de soie. MRS. EMPTAGE. [_Embracing_ CLAUDE.] My darling! [_Embracing_ SIR FLETCHER.] Oh, my dear Fletcher! Be quiet, ’Tina! [JUSTINA _plays the air of a popular music-hall melody, softly_; MRS. TWELVES _comes to her_. SIR FLETCHER PORTWOOD. I told you so—hey! MRS. EMPTAGE. We all said so. SIR FLETCHER PORTWOOD. But I’ve been the most emphatic—— MRS. EMPTAGE. Where are Theo and Alec? SIR FLETCHER PORTWOOD. They went over to Sir John Clarkson’s chambers directly the case concluded—I fancy, to consult him on some little point that had arisen. I managed to get one word—— MRS. EMPTAGE. [_Impulsively kissing_ MRS. TWELVES.] I’m so happy! SIR FLETCHER PORTWOOD. I contrived to get just one word with Alec as he was putting Theophila into the carriage. I wanted to tell him—— MRS. EMPTAGE. [_Pacing the room, humming the air played by_ JUSTINA.] Tra, la, la! la, la! tra, la, la! SIR FLETCHER PORTWOOD. I wanted to tell him an amusing story I’d heard during the luncheon interval, but he hadn’t time to—— Ha, ha! It’s a legal anecdote. It appears that a fellow of the name of Babbitt once brought an action—— MRS. EMPTAGE. Did the judge apologise, Fletcher? [JUSTINA _stops playing_. SIR FLETCHER PORTWOOD. Apologise!