LEONARD (_awkwardly_). Er—my wife. LATIMER. Then I am tempted to leave out the “Miss.” LEONARD (_annoyed again_). Look here—— LATIMER (_turning to him_). But there is nothing to look at if I do, Leonard. (_The Staff comes in._) Ah, supper! Will you sit here, Anne? (_He goes to the head of the table, and indicates the chair on the right of him._) And you here, Leonard? (_The chair on the left._) That’s right. (_They all sit down._) (_DOMINIC and the Staff serve the supper. Five of them, so things go quickly._) LATIMER. “A little fish, a bird, a little sweet. Enough to drink, but not too much to eat.” I composed that in my bath this morning. The wine has been waiting for you since 1906. How different from the turbot! ’Twas but yesterday it scarce had heard the name of Le-o-nard. (_They are all served with fish, and the wine has been poured out._) Dominic, dismiss the Staff. We would be alone. (_They are alone. He rises, glass in hand_) My friends, I will give you a toast. (_He raises his glass_) A Happy Ending! ANNE (_lifting her glass_). A Happy Ending! LATIMER. You don’t drink, Leonard. You would have the adventure end unhappily, as is the way of the modern novel? LEONARD. I don’t understand the beginning of it, Mr. Latimer. I don’t—you will forgive me for saying so—I don’t see how _you_ came into it. Who _are_ you? ANNE. Our host, Leonard. LEONARD. So it seems, my dear. But in that case, how did we come here? My chauffeur told us that this was an hotel—your man assured me, when I asked, that it was an hotel, a sort of hotel. And now it seems that we are in a private house. Moreover, we seem to have been expected. And then again—if you will forgive me—it appears to be an unusual kind of house. I tell you frankly that I don’t understand it. LATIMER. I see your difficulty, Leonard. LEONARD (_stiffly_). Nor am I accustomed to being called Leonard by a perfect stranger. LATIMER. What you are saying for yourself is, “Who is this man Latimer? Is he _known_? Is he in the Stud Book?—I mean Debrett. Is he perhaps one of the Hammersmith Latimers, or does he belong to the Ealing Branch?” ANNE (_calmly eating_). What does it matter? LATIMER. Yes, but then _you_ like the fish. Leonard doesn’t. LEONARD. I have no fault to find with the fish. You have an excellent cook. LATIMER (_gravely bowing_). I beg your pardon, I thank you. (_DOMINIC comes in._) His lordship likes the fish. DOMINIC. Thank you, sir. I will inform the cook. [_He goes out._ ANNE. When you are giving us your tiresome explanations after supper, Mr. Latimer, I wish you would just add one more to them. LATIMER. But of course! ANNE. Your Mr. Dominic’s appearances are so apt. How is it done? LATIMER (_pulling down his cuff_). Yes, I’ll make a note of that. (_He writes on it_) Dominic—Apt appearance of. _DOMINIC reappears._ LATIMER. Admit the bird, Dominic. [_DOMINIC goes out._