_Renie._ [_Very fervently._] I hope not, oh, I hope not! [_To_ LUCAS _very casually and distantly._] Good-night, Captain Wentworth.

_Lucas._ [_Same tone._] Good-night, Mrs. Sturgess.

[_Exit_ RENIE. PETERS _is seen to join her in the hall. A little pause._

_Lucas._ Well, I'll be toddling back to the Red Lion. Good-night, Dolly.

[DOLLY _looks at him, furious, turns away._ HARRY _looks a little surprised._] Good-night, Harry.

_Harry_. Good-night, Lu. Seems a pity for you to turn out on a night like this. Dolly, can't we give him a shake-down----?

_Dolly._ No!

[HARRY _shows surprise at her tone. A little pause of embarra.s.sment._

_Lucas._ Good-night, Uncle Matt.

_Matt._ [_Comes up to him, in a low voice._] Cut it, my dear lad. Cut it! That's understood?

_Lucas._ Yes, of course. Well, good-night, Dolly, once more. [_She doesn't reply._] Oh well, if you're going on the rampage--[_Goes off muttering._] Infernal nuisance--night like this---- [_Exit._

_Harry._ Is anything the matter?

_Dolly._ Lucas has offended me very much. I don't wish to speak of it.

_The_ PROFESSOR _enters at back._

_Matt._ Well, who was the victor?

_Harry._ The Professor won all four games.

_Prof._ I ascribe the increased accuracy of my stroke at billiards to my increased nerve force, now I have made Pableine my staple article of diet in place of meat.

_Matt._ Flies to the gray matter, eh?

_Prof._ Instantaneously.

_Matt._ Good stuff!

_Prof._ I hope you'll try it. Shall I send a tin to your room?

_Matt._ Will you? That will be kind!

CRIDDLE _appears at door._

_Criddle._ I've put the spirits in the hall, sir.

_Harry._ You can take them away, Criddle. In the future we shall not require spirits at night, only soda water and tea.

_Criddle._ Yes, sir. [_Exit._

_Dolly._ [_Who has been sitting wearily on sofa, rises._] Well, I'm going to bed.

_Harry._ You forget, dear.

_Dolly._ What? [HARRY _taps the writing-desk._] Oh, my dear Harry, we won't go into them to-night.

_Harry._ Yes, my dear, if you please. [_Very firmly._ DOLLY _makes an impatient gesture and pouts._] Please don't look like that. If I'm to help you in paying off these bills, it must be to-night, or not at all.

_Dolly._ Oh, very well, but---- [_Sits down wearily._

_Prof._ [_Taking out watch._] Five minutes past my usual hour.

_Dolly._ Renie has one of her bad headaches, so I've put her in the spare room.

_Prof._ Thank you. I'm afraid she's a little wilful. I can never get her to see that life can yield us no real satisfaction unless we regulate all our actions to the most minute point. Good-night.

_Dolly._ Good-night. [_Shaking hands._

_Prof._ Good-night, Telfer.

_Harry._ Good-night. [_Shaking hands._

_Matt._ Good-night, Harry.

_Harry._ Good-night, Dad. [_Shaking hands._

_Matt._ [_To_ DOLLY.] Night-night, dear.

_Dolly._ Night-night, Dad. [_Kissing him._

_Prof._ [_Has been waiting at door._] I might perhaps show you the precise way of mixing the Pableine.

_Matt._ That would be kind! What's the dose?

_Prof._ Two teaspoonfuls. On certain occasions I have taken as much as four tablespoonfuls.

_Matt._ Wasn't that rather--going it?

_Prof._ No. It's quite tasteless, except for a very slight beany flavor.

_Matt._ Sounds just the thing for a New Year's drink, to brace up good resolutions. Come along! I'll have a regular night-cap of it.

[_Exeunt_ MATT _and_ PROFESSOR.

_Harry._ Now we can have our cosy half hour.

_Dolly._ Ye-es. I've had an awful evening with Lucas. Don't you think----?