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[_Turning away, angrily._] Oh----!
LADY FILSON.
[_Severely._] Bertie----!
SIR RANDLE.
Bertram, my _boy_----!
[_The bell rings. There is a short silence, and then_ BERTRAM _rises and pulls down his waistcoat portentously._
BERTRAM.
Here he is.
OTTOLINE.
[_To_ LADY FILSON, _in a low voice._] Mother----?
LADY FILSON.
[_To_ PHILIP.] Do _you_ wish us to withdraw, Philip?
PHILIP.
[_Sitting at the writing-table._] Not at all, Lady Filson. [_Switching on the light of the library-lamp, sternly._] On the contrary, I should like you both to remain.
LADY FILSON.
[_To_ OTTOLINE.] Otto dear----?
OTTOLINE.
[_Adjusting a comb in her hair._] Oh, certainly, mother, I'll stay.
LADY FILSON.
[_Arranging her skirt and settling herself majestically._] Of this we may be perfectly sure; when my son finds that he has been misled, purposely or unintentionally, he will be only too ready--_too_ ready----
SIR RANDLE.
[_Leaning back in his chair and closing his eyes._] That goes without saying, Winifred. A gentleman--an English gentleman----
BERTRAM.
[_Who is watching the vestibule door--over his shoulder, snappishly._]
Oh, of course, father, if it turns out that I've been sold, I'll eat humble-pie abjectly.
ROOPE.
[_Shaking a finger at_ BERTRAM.] Ha, ha! I hope you've brought a voracious appet.i.te with you, dear excellent friend.
BERTRAM.
[_To_ ROOPE, _exasperated._] Look heah, Mr. Roope----!
[_The vestibule door opens and_ JOHN _announces_ DUNNING.
JOHN.
Mr. Dunning.
[DUNNING _enters and_ JOHN _retires._ MR. ALFRED DUNNING _is a spruce, middle-aged, shrewd-faced man with an affable but rather curt manner. He is in his hat and overcoat._
DUNNING.
[_To_ BERTRAM.] Haven't kept you long, have I? I just had a cup o'
cocoa--[_He checks himself on seeing so large an a.s.sembly, removes his hat, and includes everybody in a summary bow._] Evening.
BERTRAM.
[_To_ DUNNING.] Larger gathering than you expected. [_Indicating the various personages by a glance._] Sir Randle and Lady Filson--my father and mother----
DUNNING.
[_To_ SIR RANDLE _and_ LADY FILSON.] Evening.
BERTRAM.
My sister, Madame de Chaumie----
DUNNING.
[_To_ OTTOLINE.] Evening.
BERTRAM.
Mr. Roope--Mr. Mackworth----
DUNNING.
[_To them._] Evening.
[SIR RANDLE, LADY FILSON, _and_ ROOPE, _looking at_ DUNNING _out of the corners of their eyes, acknowledge the introduction by a slight movement._ PHILIP _nods unpleasantly._ OTTOLINE, _with a stony countenance, also eyes_ DUNNING _askance, and gives the barest possible inclination of her head on being named._
BERTRAM.
[_Bringing forward the chair on which he has been sitting and planting it nearer to_ SIR RANDLE _and_ LADY FILSON--_to_ DUNNING.] I suppose you may----
