BOHUN (capitulating). Mrs. Clandon: these are clever children-- clear headed, well brought up children. I make that admission deliberately. Can you, in return, point out to me any way of inducting them to hold their tongues? MRS. CLANDON. Dolly, dearest--! PHILIP. Our old failing, Dolly. Silence! (Dolly holds her mouth.) MRS. CLANDON. Now, Mr. Bohun, before they begin again-- WAITER (softer). Be quick, sir: be quick. DOLLY (beaming at him). Dear William! PHILIP. Sh! BOHUN (unexpectedly beginning by hurling a question straight at Dolly). Have you any intention of getting married? DOLLY. I! Well, Finch calls me by my Christian name. McCOMAS. I will not have this. Mr. Bohun: I use the young lady's Christian name naturally as an old friend of her mother's. DOLLY. Yes, you call me Dolly as an old friend of my mother's. But what about Dorothee-ee-a? (McComas rises indignantly.) CRAMPTON (anxiously, rising to restrain him). Keep your temper, McComas. Don't let us quarrel. Be patient. McCOMAS. I will not be patient. You are shewing the most wretched weakness of character, Crampton. I say this is monstrous. DOLLY. Mr. Bohun: please bully Finch for us. BOHUN. I will. McComas: you're making yourself ridiculous. Sit down. McCOMAS. I-- BOHUN (waving him down imperiously). No: sit down, sit down. (McComas sits down sulkily; and Crampton, much relieved, follows his example.) DOLLY (to Bohun, meekly). Thank you. BOHUN. Now, listen to me, all of you. I give no opinion, McComas, as to how far you may or may not have committed yourself in the direction indicated by this young lady. (McComas is about to protest.) No: don't interrupt me: if she doesn't marry you she will marry somebody else. That is the solution of the difficulty as to her not bearing her father's name. The other lady intends to get married. GLORIA (flushing). Mr. Bohun! BOHUN. Oh, yes, you do: you don't know it; but you do. GLORIA (rising). Stop. I warn you, Mr. Bohun, not to answer for my intentions.