ANN. Good-bye, Sally. SARAH. [_In a whisper._] Forget us. GEORGE. [_Relieving his feelings._] Good-bye, everybody . . good-bye, everything. ABUD _goes to the front door and opening it stands waiting for her. She goes coldly, but timidly to her father, to whom she puts her face up to be kissed._ ANN. Good-bye, Papa. CARNABY. [_Quietly, as he kisses her cheek._] I can do without you. SIR GEORGE LEETE. [_Raging at the draught._] Shut that door. ANN. I'm gone. _She goes with her husband._ MRS. OPIE _comes hurriedly out of the dining-room, too late_. MRS. OPIE. Oh! DR. REMNANT. Run . . Mrs. Opie. CARNABY. There has started the new century! MRS. OPIE _opens the front door to look after them_. SIR GEORGE LEETE. [_With double energy._] Shut that door. LADY LEETE _sneezes and then chokes. There is much commotion in her neighbourhood._ SIR GEORGE. Now she's hurt again. DOLLY. Water! MR. CROWE. Brandy! SARAH. [_Going._] I'll fetch both. GEORGE. We must all die . . some day. MR. TOZER. [_Who has struggled up to see what is the matter._] And go to-- DR. REMNANT. Hell. You do believe in that, Mr. Toper. MRS. OPIE. [_Fanning the poor old lady._] She's better. CARNABY. [_To his guests._] Gentlemen . . punch. PRESTIGE _and_ SMALLPEICE; MRS. PRESTIGE, GEORGE _and_ DOLLY _move towards the dining-room_. MR. PRESTIGE. [_To_ SMALLPEICE.] You owe all this to me. MR. CROWE. Dolly . . I'm going. MRS. PRESTIGE. [_To her husband as she nods towards_ CARNABY.] Nathaniel . . look at 'im. GEORGE. [_To his father-in-law._] Must we come too? MRS. PRESTIGE. [_As before._] I can't help it . . a sneerin' carpin' cavillin' devil! MRS. OPIE. Markswayde is to let . . as I hear . . Mr. Leete? CARNABY. Markswayde is to let. _He goes on his way to the dining-room meeting_ SARAH _who comes out carrying a glass of water and a decanter of brandy_. SIR GEORGE LEETE _is comfortably warming himself at the fire_. * * * * * _The living room of_ JOHN ABUD'S _new cottage has bare plaster walls and its ceilings and floor are of red brick; all fresh looking but not new. In the middle of the middle wall there is a latticed window, dimity curtained; upon the plain shelf in front are several flower-pots._ _To the right of this, a door, cross beamed and with a large lock to it besides the latch._ _Against the right hand wall, is a dresser, furnished with dishes and plates: below it is a common looking grandfather clock; below this a small door which when opened shows winding stairs leading to the room above. In the left hand wall there is a door which is almost hidden by the fireplace which juts out below it. In the fireplace a wood fire is laid but not lit. At right angles to this stands a heavy oak settle opposite a plain deal table; just beyond which is a little bench. On either side of the window is a Windsor armchair. Between the window and the door hangs a framed sampler._