Surely you want to know whether you have made me a wealthy woman or have ruined yourself in the effort? EARL OF DRUMDURRIS. Ruined myself! LADY TWOMBLEY. Keith, dear, I am afraid I haven't done what is strictly regular, but when you put me into communication with your Stockbrokers I carried on my delicate little financial operations with them in your name. EARL OF DRUMDURRIS. Aunt Kate! LADY TWOMBLEY. Keith, you're annoyed! EARL OF DRUMDURRIS. May I ask what delicate little financial operations? LADY TWOMBLEY. I've speculated on the strength of my private knowledge of the decision of the Government on the Rajputana Canal Question--I mean _you_ have speculated. EARL OF DRUMDURRIS. Aunt Twombley, how dare you do such a thing? LADY TWOMBLEY. How dare I! Boy--for you are little more--boy, you wouldn't have a Cabinet Minister's wife take advantage of her confidential acquaintance with her husband's official affairs to advance her own interests! Oh, Keith! EARL OF DRUMDURRIS. But you've done it! LADY TWOMBLEY. No, I haven't. Don't be so dull, _you've_ done it. EARL OF DRUMDURRIS. And if your delicate little financial operations---- LADY TWOMBLEY. If they come off, you have made what you men call a pile, Keith. All through your blundering aunty you will have made a pile. EARL OF DRUMDURRIS. Which I hand over to you, Aunt Kate? LADY TWOMBLEY. I shall borrow it, Keith, dear--may I? EARL OF DRUMDURRIS. And if--pardon the question--if your delicate little financial operations---- LADY TWOMBLEY. Don't come off? EARL OF DRUMDURRIS. Certainly; if they don't come off, what then? LADY TWOMBLEY. Then through your reckless speculation you will have impoverished your estate for the rest of your life! EARL OF DRUMDURRIS. Aunt! [EGIDIA enters.] EGIDIA. Keith! EARL OF DRUMDURRIS. Tell me. EGIDIA. Fergus has taken a turn for the better. EARL OF DRUMDURRIS. Egidia, how can I look you in the face? EGIDIA. Cannot we read a lesson from this dreadful occurrence? EARL OF DRUMDURRIS. To reconcile our views? EGIDIA. Finally. You see now how unfitted our son is to a soldier's life. EARL OF DRUMDURRIS. Yes, I have been wrong. Happily it is not too late to remould his character. We must return to the ball-room. EGIDIA. First come with me and peep into the nursery. EARL OF DRUMDURRIS. By all means--the nursery. TOGETHER. The nursery. [They go out as the DOWAGER enters.] DOWAGER. Katherine! LADY TWOMBLEY. Dora? DOWAGER. I am beside myself! Have you heard the news? LADY TWOMBLEY. News? Telegrams for Keith? DOWAGER. I know nothing about telegrams. I've just overheard Julian talking solemnly to Brooke. Do you know what your husband intends to do? LADY TWOMBLEY. Grow his own vegetables. DOWAGER. Bother his vegetables! He resigns his place in the Ministry. LADY TWOMBLEY. The same thing. [To herself.] Ah, why can't he wait! [SIR JULIAN enters with BROOKE.] SIR JULIAN TWOMBLEY.