Texel. Excellent! Excellent!
Alcar. (Interrupting a gesture from Carve.) You have all done me a signal favour by coming here. In thanking you, I wonder if I may ask another favour. May I?
Texel. Certainly. Among kindred spirits.
Ebag. Assuredly, my lord.
Alcar. I would merely request you to control so far as possible any expression of your astonishment at meeting one another here. That is to say, any violent expression.
Carve. (Gaily and carelessly.) Oh, very well! Very well!
(Lord Leonard Alcar waves the rest of the company into chairs, tactfully separating Cyrus and Carve as much as possible. He remains standing himself.)
Janet. I suppose what you really want is to stop this funny trial from coming on.
Alcar. (Slightly taken aback.) Mrs. X, I congratulate myself on your presence here. Yes,
[133]my ambition is to be peacemaker. Of course a peacemaker always runs the risk of a broken head, but I shall entrust my head to your good nature. As a proof that I really mean business, I need only point out that I haven't invited a single lawyer.