[_In despair._] I-- I---- [_Turning from her and hitting his temples with his fists._] Forgive me. Forgive me. LILY. Ha! I-- I thought you were such a quiet, bashful fellow. FARNCOMBE. Forgive me. Forgive me. [_She wavers and then slowly approaches him._ LILY. [_Gently._] Don't-- don't fret about it. _I_ forgive you. [_Touching his arm with her finger-tips._] I'm to blame. [_Drawing a deep breath._] All those dances----! [_He seizes her hand and kisses it passionately._ FARNCOMBE. I may see you again? I may see you again? Lily-- Lily--! Lily----! LILY. [_In a whisper, averting her head._] N-no-- we'd better not---- [_There is a low but distinct knocking at the door on the left. She withdraws her hand and they look at each other, he inquiringly, she with a calm face. The knocking is repeated._] Mother. [_She goes to the door and speaks with her mouth close to it._] That you, mother? [_She listens for a reply and again the knocking is heard._] Who is it? [_She opens the door. JEYES is outside._] Nicko! [_JEYES comes into the room. He has rid himself of his wig and beard and is wearing an overcoat buttoned up to his chin and a cap drawn down to his brows. His face is white and his jaws are set determinedly._] How-- how have you got in? [_He produces a bunch of keys and grimly displays a latch-key._] Oh-- oh----! [_Pulling off his cap, JEYES advances to the table in the centre, glaring at FARNCOMBE. LILY closes the door sharply and also advances, speaking volubly to FARNCOMBE as she comes forward._] Captain Jeyes is in the habit of bringing me home from the theatre after my work; and a long while ago I gave him a latch-key to carry on his key-ring, so that he could let me into my house whenever I'd forgotten my own key. He hasn't the slightest right to use it at any other time; nobody knows that better than he does. It's a confounded liberty! [_To JEYES, hotly._] What are you doing here at all at this hour of the morning? JEYES. [_After an expressive glance at FARNCOMBE._] An odd question, in the circumstances. LILY. Answer me! JEYES. Keeping an eye on _you_. LILY. Spying on me! JEYES. On you-- [_jerking his head towards FARNCOMBE_] and---- LILY. How dare you! JEYES. I've been at it all night. LILY. All night! JEYES. Yes; I was in the theatre while you were supping and dancing. LILY. _You_ were! JEYES. I _meant_ to be there. You did your best to stop it---- LILY. That's a lie! JEYES. So that you could enjoy yourself thoroughly-- [_glancing at FARNCOMBE again_] with---- LILY. A lie! JEYES. I didn't leave till past three. You and-- [_with another motion of the head towards FARNCOMBE_] had just had your fifth dance together, and they were hauling you round the building. LILY. Where _were_ you? Who----? JEYES. Excuse me; that's my business. Then I went back to Jermyn Street, and it suddenly struck me I'd like to see how your escort was composed. LILY. You've been watching outside? JEYES.