LATIMER. No, thank you. By the way, Dominic, did you go round to the Hospital this afternoon? DOMINIC. Yes, sir. The young gentleman is getting on nicely. He was able to take a little bread-and-milk this morning. LATIMER. Ah, I’m glad. Nothing solid yet? DOMINIC. No, sir. The jaw is still very tender. [_He goes out._ LATIMER (_to LEONARD_). He bumped it against my knuckles last week. An impetuous young fellow. He was running away with—dear me, I forget her name—I always forget names. I think he called her Pussy. She had several children. (_Unconsciously he has shot his cuff, and sees suddenly the note he has made_) What’s this? “Dominic—Apt appearance of.” Ah, yes. (_He turns to ANNE_) It’s very simple. A little fad of mine. There are bells everywhere in this room—in every chair, on the table, in the floor; wherever I am, I can press a bell for Dominic. He is always close at hand on reception-evenings. Yes. ANNE. That was a little warning which you were giving us just now? LATIMER (_apologetically_). Yes. I thought it better. Leonard is so impetuous. Joseph and Jacob were both amateur champions in their day. Dominic is a very heavy fall-er. He never has to fall on a man twice. If all this is quite understood at the beginning, it makes it so much easier. ANNE (_getting up_). Mr. Latimer, I assure you that this is not a sudden freak of fancy, and that I know my own mind. I ask you, as a gentleman, to open the door. LATIMER (_shaking his head_). I am afraid it is impossible, Anne. (_She shrugs her shoulders and sits down._) LEONARD (_calm for the moment_). So we are kept here by force? LATIMER. Need we insist upon it? Let us rather say that you have postponed your visit to France in order to spend a few days with a friend. LEONARD. I prefer to say force. LATIMER (_with a bow_). I do not dictate your words to you. Your movements for the moment, yes. So let us say “force.” LEONARD. We are prisoners, in fact? LATIMER. Within the limits of my house. LEONARD. And if my—my wife chooses to walk out of your front door to-morrow morning, your—your fellow-conspirators would lay hands on her and stop her? LATIMER. My dear Leonard, why should your—your wife want to walk out of the front door to-morrow? What would she want to do in the garden in November? Do be reasonable. LEONARD. Suppose she wished to walk to the nearest police-station? LATIMER (_to ANNE_). Do you? ANNE (_with a smile_). Could I? LATIMER. If you stood on Leonard’s shoulders you might just reach the top of the wall.... Dominic tells me that they have lost the key of the gates. Very careless of them. LEONARD. Well, I’m—— It’s monstrous! ANNE. Yes, but we can’t keep on saying that. Here we are apparently, and here we have to stay. But I still want to know very much _why_ Mr. Latimer has this great desire for our company.