AUBREY.

Doctor, find a comfortable chair; Frank, you too. As we're going to turn out by-and-by, let me scribble a couple of notes now while I think of them.

MISQUITH _and_ JAYNE.

Certainly--yes, yes.

AUBREY.

It might slip my memory when I get back.

[AUBREY _sits at a writing-table at the other end of the room, and writes._

JAYNE.

[_To_ MISQUITH, _in a whisper._] Frank---- [MISQUITH _quietly leaves his chair and sits nearer to Jayne._] What is all this? Simply a morbid crank of Aubrey's with regard to ante-nuptial acquaintances?

MISQUITH.

H'm! Did you notice _one_ expression he used?

JAYNE.

Let me think----

MISQUITH.

"My marriage is not even the conventional sort of marriage likely to satisfy society."

JAYNE.

Bless me, yes! What does that suggest?

MISQUITH.

That he has a particular rather than a general reason for antic.i.p.ating estrangement from his friends, I'm afraid.

JAYNE.

A horrible _mesalliance_! A dairymaid who has given him a gla.s.s of milk during a day's hunting, or a little anaemic shopgirl! Frank, I'm utterly wretched!

MISQUITH.

My dear Jayne, speaking in absolute confidence, I have never been more profoundly depressed in my life.

MORSE _enters._

MORSE.

[_Announcing_] Mr. Drummle.

[CAYLEY DRUMMLE _enters briskly. He is a neat little man of about five-and-forty, in manner bright, airy, debonair, but with an undercurrent of seriousness._

[MORSE _retires._

DRUMMLE.

I'm in disgrace; n.o.body realises that more thoroughly than I do.

Where's my host?

AUBREY.

[_Who has risen._] Cayley.

DRUMMLE.

[_Shaking hands with him._] Don't speak to me till I have tendered my explanation. A harsh word from anybody would unman me.

[MISQUITH _and_ JAYNE _shake hands with_ DRUMMLE.

AUBREY.

Have you dined?

DRUMMLE.

No--unless you call a bit of fish, a cutlet, and a pancake dining.

AUBREY.

Cayley, this is disgraceful.

JAYNE.

Fish, a cutlet, and a pancake will require a great deal of explanation.

MISQUITH.

Especially the pancake. My dear friend, your case looks miserably weak.

DRUMMLE.

Hear me! hear me!

JAYNE.

Now then!

MISQUITH.