[_There follows_ FARRANT _through the window a man of fifty. He has about him that unmistakeable air of acquired wealth and power which distinguishes many Jews and has therefore come to be regarded as a solely Jewish characteristic. He speaks always with that swift decision which betokens a narrowed view. This is_ RUSSELL BLACKBOROUGH; _manufacturer, politician . . statesman, his own side calls him_.] BLACKBOROUGH. [_To his hostess._] If I start now, they tell me, I shall get home before the moon goes down. I'm sorry I must get back to-night. It's been a most delightful week-end. MRS. FARRANT. [_Gracefully giving him a good-bye hand._] And a successful one, I hope. FARRANT. We talked Education for half an hour. MRS. FARRANT. [_Her eyebrows lifting a shade._] Education! FARRANT. Then Trebell went away to work. BLACKBOROUGH. I've missed the music, I fear. MRS. FARRANT. But it's been Bach. BLACKBOROUGH. No Chopin? MRS. FARRANT. For a minute only. BLACKBOROUGH. Why don't these new Italian men write things for the piano? Good-night, Lady Davenport. LADY DAVENPORT. [_As he bows over her hand._] And what has Education to do with it? BLACKBOROUGH. [_Non-committal himself._] Perhaps it was a subject that compromised nobody. LADY DAVENPORT. Do you think my daughter has been wasting her time and her tact? FARRANT. [_Clapping him on the shoulder._] Blackborough's frankly flabbergasted at the publicity of this intrigue. MRS. FARRANT. Intrigue! Mr. Trebell walked across the House . . actually into your arms. BLACKBOROUGH. [_With a certain dubious grimness._] Well . . we've had some very interesting talks since. And his views upon Education are quite . . Utopian. Good-bye, Miss Trebell. FRANCES TREBELL. Good-bye. MRS. FARRANT. I wouldn't be so haughty till after the election, if I were you, Mr. Blackborough. BLACKBOROUGH. [_Indifferently._] Oh, I'm glad he's with us on the Church question . . so far. MRS. FARRANT. So far as you've made up your minds? The electoral cat will jump soon. BLACKBOROUGH. [_A little beaten by such polite cynicism._] Well . . our conservative principles! After all we know what they are. Good-night, Mrs. O'Connell. AMY O'CONNELL. Good-night. FARRANT. Your neuralgia better? AMY O'CONNELL. By fits and starts. FARRANT. [_Robustly._] Come and play billiards. Horsham and Maconochie started a game. They can neither of them play. We left them working out a theory of angles on bits of paper. WALTER KENT. Professor Maconochie lured me on to golf yesterday. He doesn't suffer from theories about that. BLACKBOROUGH. [_With approval._] Started life as a caddie. WALTER KENT. [_Pulling a wry face._] So he told me after the first hole. BLACKBOROUGH. What's this, Kent, about Trebell's making you his secretary? WALTER KENT. He thinks he'll have me. BLACKBOROUGH. [_Almost reprovingly._] No question of politics? FARRANT. More intrigue, Blackborough.