[She turns the hands of her gloves back and sips coffee, MARIANO serving.]

HAWCASTLE

[continuing]

But I didn't mean Almeric. I meant my august sister-in-law.

[He reads the paper.]

MADAME DE CHAMPIGNY

[smiling]

The amiable Lady Victoria Hermione Trevelyan Creech has déjeuner in her apartment. What you find to read?

HAWCASTLE

I'm such a duffer at Italian, but [pg 022] apparently the people along the coast are having a scare over an escaped convict—a Russian.