MRS. EMPTAGE. To Theophila? SIR FLETCHER PORTWOOD. A judge never apologises. MRS. EMPTAGE. He might do worse, where such undeserved distress is occasioned a young wife and her husband—— MRS. QUINTON TWELVES. Hear, hear! MRS. EMPTAGE. To say nothing of her mother! SIR FLETCHER PORTWOOD. I surmise that the judgment of my friend Sir William was very strongly worded, and I daresay an expression of regret followed from Mrs. Allingham’s counsel. But I had quitted the Court, you know—— MRS. EMPTAGE. Oh, yes; Theo wrote you a note—— SIR FLETCHER PORTWOOD. But you are losing my anecdote. It appears that a man of the name of Babbitt—— One thing, Muriel, I will stake my reputation upon. MRS. EMPTAGE. [_Peeping out at the side of the window blind._] What’s that? SIR FLETCHER PORTWOOD. That the public applauded the decision roundly. MRS. EMPTAGE. [_Pacing the room again._] I can hear them doing it! Bravo, Mrs. Fraser! Eh, girls? MRS. QUINTON TWELVES. Plucky Mrs. Fraser! JUSTINA. How jolly to have been there just then! SIR FLETCHER PORTWOOD. As a matter of fact, I talked with several strangers of a humble rank of life, and hinted that a few cheers—so regrettable and unseemly in a court of law as a rule—I hinted that a few cheers would undoubtedly be justifiable in the present instance, as well as peculiarly agreeable to me. It seems that Babbitt—— [HORTON _enters with a card_. MRS. EMPTAGE. [_After glancing at the card._] Oh——! SIR FLETCHER PORTWOOD. Eh? JUSTINA. What’s up? MRS. EMPTAGE. [_To_ HORTON.] Where _is_ Mrs. Cloys? [SIR FLETCHER, JUSTINA _and_ CLAUDE _rise precipitately_. HORTON. In the morning-room, ma’am. She preferred—— MRS. EMPTAGE. [_Taking the card._] I—I—some one will come to her. [HORTON _retires_. SIR FLETCHER PORTWOOD. Harriet here! JUSTINA. By Jove! CLAUDE. [_Making for the door._] No; she is too impossible. MRS. EMPTAGE. [_Intercepting him._] Claude, I dare you to leave the house! [SIR FLETCHER _also moves towards the door_. MRS. EMPTAGE. [_Stopping him._] Fletcher, you mustn’t! SIR FLETCHER PORTWOOD. Muriel, I distinctly prefer not to meet——