Carve. Thanks! Give them to me.
(Exit Page.)
Janet. Well, I never! It's like magic.
Carve. Now let's just glance at these chaps. (Unfolding a paper.)
Janet. Shall I help you?
Carve. Why? Here's black borders and a heading across two columns! "Death of England's greatest painter," "Irreparable loss to the world's art," "Our readers will be shocked——" Are they all like that? (More and more astonished; takes another paper.) "Sad death of a great genius."
Janet. (Handing him still another paper.) And this.
Carve. "London's grief." "The news will come as a personal blow to every lover of great painting." But—but—I'd no notion of this. (Half to himself.) It's terrible.
Janet. Well, perhaps always living with him you wouldn't realize how important he was, would you? (Distant music begins again, a waltz tune.)
Carve. (Reading.) "Although possibly something of a poseur in his choice of subjects...."