[In a rage, outside the door.] Confound that!
GIRLS.
Oh!
REGINALD.
[Opening the door leading to the dark room.] Here's a room here. Shall we condescend to hide?
ALL.
Yes. [They disappear hastily as Rankling appears in a dressing-gown, his face pale and his eyes red and wild.]
RANKLING.
Hallo! Some one has been sitting up—candles—and a fire. Ah! [Sniffing and walking about the room, he goes straight to the mantelpiece upon which Reginald's grog has been left and takes up the tumbler.] It's Mallory. [ With suppressed passion.] It's against the rules for anybody to sit up in my house!
[Calmly.] But I don't mind Mallory—I don't—[Looking at sofa.] Hallo—Mallory has been turning in here. [Going to the sofa and sitting there shaking with anger.] Are we never going to have any more daylight? How long am I to wait till that miserable schoolmistress releases the worm Queckett! Queckett! Uncle Vere! The reptile who has made a fool of me in the eyes of my wife and daughter! Ugh! But I must husband my strength for Queckett. I have been a very careful man all my life; as far as muscular economy goes, Queckett shall have the savings of a lifetime. [Lying down and pulling the rug over him.] Uncle Vere! Ah—I was a wild, impetuous, daring lad once—[going to sleep] and I can be unpleasant even now. I can! The Admiralty doesn't know it—Emma doesn't know it—Queckett shall know it. [He breathes heavily. The others have been peeping from their hiding place, and as they close the door, Peggy enters alone, quickly but silently. She looks for the others, then almost falls over Rankling on the sofa, at which she retreats with a suppressed screech of horror. Mallory opens the further door and gesticulates to her violently to be silent.]