[_Under her breath._] Great heavens! PHILIP. And he has lightened your son's purse, presumably, and crammed his willing ears with some ridiculous, fantastic tale concerning my book--"The Big Drum." Mr. Dunning professes to have discovered that I have conspired with a wicked publisher to deceive you all; that the book's another of my miss-hits, and that I'm a designing rogue and liar. [_To_ BERTRAM.] Come on, Bertram; don't sit there as if you were a stuffed figure! Speak out, and tell your father and mother what you've been up to! LADY FILSON. [_Open-mouthed._] Bertie! SIR RANDLE. [_Moving towards_ BERTRAM, _mildly._] Bertram, my boy----? BERTRAM. [_Curling his lip--to_ PHILIP.] Oh, you seem to be getting on exceedingly well without my assistance, Mackworth. I'm content to hold my tongue till Dunning arrives, I mean t'say. PHILIP. [_Approaching_ LADY FILSON.] You see, Lady Filson, Master Bertram is endowed with an exceptionally active brain; and when I gave those assurances to you and Sir Randle last June, it occurred to him that, in the event of my book failing to attract the market, there was a danger of my palming it off, with the kind aid of my publisher, as the out-and-out triumph I'd bragged of in advance; and the loud blasts of Titterton's trumpet strengthened Master Bertie's apprehensions. [OTTOLINE, _unobserved, rises unsteadily and, with her eyes fixed fiercely upon_ BERTRAM, _crosses the room at the back._] So what does he do, bless him for his devotion to his belongings! To safeguard his parents from being jockeyed, and as a brotherly precaution, he enlists the services, on the sly, of the obliging Mr. Dunning. We shall shortly have an opportunity of judging what that individual's game is. [_With a shrug._] He _may_ have stumbled legitimately into a mare's nest; but I doubt it. These ruffians'll stick at nothing to keep an ingenuous client on the hook--[_He is interrupted by feeling_ OTTOLINE's _hand upon his arm. He lays his hand on hers gently._] Otto dear---- OTTOLINE. [_Clutching him tightly and articulating with an effort._] It--it's infamous--shameful! My--my brother! It's infamous! PHILIP. Oh, it'll be all over in ten minutes. And then Bertie and I will shake hands--won't we, Bertie?--and forget the wretched incident---- OTTOLINE. [_Confronting_ BERTRAM, _trembling with passion._] How dare you! How dare you meddle with my affairs--mine and Mr. Mackworth's! How dare you! BERTRAM. [_Straightening himself._] Look heah, Ottoline----! OTTOLINE. Stand up when I speak to you! [BERTRAM _gets to his feet in a hurry._ LADY FILSON. [_Appealingly._] Otto----!