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LADY FILSON.
[_Sitting on the settee on the left._] Naturally.
SIR RANDLE.
And excusably. I myself, in similar circ.u.mstances----
PHILIP.
[_Rubbing his head._] Why the deuce couldn't he have kept his twopenny thunderbolt in his pocket for a few hours, instead of launching it to-night and spoiling our _sole a la Morny_ and our _ris de veau_----!
OTTOLINE.
[_Gradually composing herself and regaining her dignity_].
P-P-Philip----
PHILIP.
[_Coming to the smoking-table._] Eh?
OTTOLINE.
[_Pa.s.sing her handkerchief over her lips._] Need you--need you see this man to-night? Can't you stop him coming--or send him away?
PHILIP.
Not see him----?
OTTOLINE.
Why--why should you stoop to see him at all? Why shouldn't the matter be allowed to drop--to drop?
PHILIP.
Drop!
OTTOLINE.
It--it's too monstrous; too absurd. [_To_ BERTRAM, _with a laugh._] Ha, ha, ha! Bertie--Bertie dear----
BERTRAM.
[_Sullenly._] Yes?
OTTOLINE.
Ha, ha! I almost scared you out of your wits, didn't I?
BERTRAM.
You've behaved excessively rudely----
LADY FILSON.
Bertram--Bertram----
BERTRAM.
I mean to _say_, mother! What becomes of family loyalty----?
OTTOLINE.
[_To_ BERTRAM, _coaxingly._] Forgive me, Bertram. I'm ashamed of my violent outburst. Forgive me----
ROOPE.
[_Who has been effacing himself behind the table on the left, appearing at the nearer end of the table._] Er--dear excellent friends--[SIR RANDLE _and_ LADY FILSON _look at_ ROOPE _as if he had fallen from the skies, and_ BERTRAM _stares at him resentfully._] dear excellent friends, if I may be permitted to make an observation----
PHILIP.
[_To_ ROOPE.] Go ahead, old man.
ROOPE.
In my opinion, it would be a thousand pities not to see Mr. Dunning to-night, and have done with him. [_Cheerfully._] The fish is ruined--we must resign ourselves to that; [_sitting in the chair on the extreme left_] but the other dishes, if the cook is fairly competent----
SIR RANDLE.
[_Advancing._] Mr. Roope's opinion is my opinion also. [_Ponderously._]
As to whether Lady Filson and my daughter should withdraw into an adjoining room----
LADY FILSON.
_I_ feel with Philip; we couldn't sit down to dinner with this cloud hanging over us----
SIR RANDLE.
[_Sitting in the chair by the smoking-table._] Impossible! I must be frank. Impossible!
ROOPE.
Dear Madame de Chaumie will pardon me for differing with her, but you can't very well ignore even a fellow of this stamp--[_glancing at_ BERTRAM] especially, if I understand aright, my excellent friend over there still persists----
BERTRAM.
[_Morosely._] Yes, you do understand aright, Roope. I've every confidence in Dunning, I mean t'say----
PHILIP.
