REGINALD (_seizing his chance, and addressing the audience_): Not me. I never go to church――except to interrupt the service. I lead an awful life, you know――a life of cynical laughter and smouldering passion. Men have always feared, and a few women have worshipped me. Even in the cradle I was dangerous, and the nurse gave notice. I was expelled from five public schools, and ran away from my last――an industrial one. I was sent down from Oxford――permanently――in my second term. I gambled away a fortune before I was twenty. And there is that ugly story of Lady Paston, who pawned the drawing-room clock and followed me to Monte Carlo. It is only one scandal among many, and yet――and yet――(_with a pathetic catch in his voice_)――in a locket which I wear under my clothes, there is twisted a strand of a dead woman’s hair――my mother’s. (_Bursts into tears._) (_Giggles from_ ANGELINA, _and murmured commendations from_ CAPTAIN DE LANCY:――Keep it up, old cock. Just have a squint at Miss Johnson’s face!) ANGELINA (_inspired_): I’ll tell father and mother to bring some wine. (_Enter_ MR. _and_ MRS. RAVENSHAWE. MR. RAVENSHAWE _wears a light grey suit, very loosely fitting, and has a couple of reefs in the hems of his trousers_. MRS. RAVENSHAWE _apparently finds considerable difficulty in managing her skirt. There are further introductions, enlivened by_ MRS. RAVENSHAWE’S _curious movements, which suggest that she has already been sampling the wine. Finally, as she steps forward to greet the recumbent_ REGINALD, _there is a sharp continuous crepitating sound, as of many Chinese crackers going off, and she drops upon her knees_. “Now you’ve done it!” _remarks_ CAPTAIN DE LANCY _brutally. He assists her to rise by tugging at the scruff of her neck: and a voice from the audience questions anxiously_, “Grif, dear, I hope you haven’t torn my dress? Hold it up when you walk.” MRS. RAVENSHAWE _follows this advice, but a portion of her clothing, semi-detached, trails ominously at her heels. Everybody sits down. The accident to_ MRS. RAVENSHAWE _appears to have checked the flow of dialogue, so that_ MAUD VIVIEN’S _next remark is singularly apt_.) MAUD: Nobody seems to be talking very much. REGINALD (_to_ MRS. RAVENSHAWE): Your daughter has kindly asked me to stay until my ankle is well again. I hope it won’t put you to much inconvenience? MR. RAVENSHAWE (_hastily replying for his wife_): Rather not! We were just going to ask you ourselves, weren’t we, dear? MRS. RAVENSHAWE: Yes, Aubrey. CAPTAIN DE LANCY (_glancing at his watch_): It’s getting late. I must be going. I’ll roll round and see you now and then Reggie. (_Exit._) MR. _and_ MRS. RAVENSHAWE (_with remarkable unanimity_): I think we must be going too. MAUD: So do I. (_Exeunt, leaving_ REGINALD _and_ ANGELINA _alone_.)