SOPHY.

Ha, ha!

[MURIEL _appears at the open window and enters the room noiselessly.

Seeing_ BASTLING _and_ SOPHY _together, she halts in surprise._

BASTLING.

[_Whose back is to the window._] I say--mind, no tales.

SOPHY.

[_Looking at_ MURIEL _steadily over_ BASTLING'S _shoulder._] Likely I'd split on you, isn't it?

BASTLING.

Honour bright?

SOPHY.

Oh, if you've any doubt--

[_He raises her face to his and kisses her upon the lips warmly and lingeringly. She goes back a step or two, still gazing fixedly at_ MURIEL.

BASTLING.

Eh--?

[_Following the direction of her eyes, he turns and encounters_ MURIEL.

_The three stand for a moment or two without movement._

BASTLING.

[_After the pause, speaking in a low voice, his eyes avoiding_ MURIEL'S.] Well--ha!--I suppose every man makes a big mistake at least once in his life. I've made mine. At the same time, I--I--[_hurriedly_]

oh, I'll write.

[_With a slight, quick bow to_ MURIEL, _he wheels round sharply and goes out._

SOPHY.

[_Wiping his kiss from her lips._] The wretch! the wretch!

[_The door-gong sounds._

MURIEL.

[_Covering her eyes with her hand and uttering a low moan._] Oh--!

SOPHY.

[_Hanging her head._] You see, darling, yesterday at Fauncey Court, I--I tried it on with Lord Quex, and he behaved like a gentleman. So the notion struck me that I'd treat the young man in the same way, just to see what _he_ was made of, and--well, I'm glad you came in. You might never have believed me.

MURIEL.

[_In a hard voice._] The shirt-stud--the stuff I wrote--I left them with you--

SOPHY.

[_Producing them._] I found them after you'd gone.

[MURIEL _takes the piece of paper and tears it into small pieces._ SOPHY _offers her the jeweller's case._

MURIEL.

[_Haughtily._] Take that back to Gressier's this afternoon, please, and tell them I've changed my mind. Say I'll have a little silver collar for my dog, in its place.

[_She sinks into the screen-chair, with her eyes closed. Slipping the case into her pocket,_ SOPHY _tip-toes up to the door in the part.i.tion; she opens it and beckons to_ QUEX, _who appears with_ FRAYNE.

SOPHY.

[_To_ QUEX, _in a whisper._] Phsst! It's all nicely settled. She's said good-bye to him for good. What a fuss you made about nothing!

[_She points to the screen-chair; he approaches_ MURIEL. SOPHY _and_ FRAYNE _talk together._

QUEX.

[_Softly._] Muriel--

MURIEL.

[_Opening her eyes, startled._] Quex!

QUEX.

[_Brightly._] I came up to town this morning with Sir Chichester. We've just met aunt Julia, and the rest of 'em, in Sackville Street. Mrs.

Jack clamours for lunch at Prince's. What do you say?

MURIEL.

[_Pa.s.sing her hand across her eyes._] Thanks. It'll be jolly.

QUEX.

[_Gaily._] Ah!

MURIEL.

[_Laying her hand upon his sleeve._] Quex--