when you matched yourself against a man who has read papers (moving towards centre table) at Soirees of the Royal Statistical Society–" (Looking round the room, he discovers that he is alone. He picks up his hat from the table and jams it down on his head.) Unusual!
(He moves up towards the swing doors.)
Curtain.
Act III
It is after dinner in Belinda's hall. The log fire, chandelier and wall brackets are all alight. Belinda is lying on the Chesterfield with a coffee-cup in her hand. Delia, in the chair down L. below the fireplace, has picked up "The Lute of Love" from a table and is reading it impatiently. She also has a coffee-cup in her hand.
Delia (throwing the book away). What rubbish he writes!
Belinda (coming back from her thoughts). Who, dear?
Delia. Claude
(Belinda gives her a quick look of surprise.)
–Mr. Devenish. (She rises and stands by the fireplace with her cup in her hand.) Of course, he's very young.