mrs. opie stands in the middle of the hall, holding out a woman's brown cloak: she drops one side to fetch out her handkerchief and apply it to her eye. dimmuck comes in by the front door, which he carefully closes behind him. He is wrapped in a hooded cloak and carries a pair of boots and a newspaper. The boots he arranges to warm before the fire. Then he spreads the Chronicle newspaper upon the arm of a chair, then takes off his cloak and hangs it upon a peg close to the door.
dimmuck. Mrs. Opie . . will you look to its not scorching?
mrs. opie still mops her eyes. dimmuck goes towards the dining-room door, but turns.
dimmuck. Will you kindly see that the Chronicle newspaper does not burn?
mrs. opie. I was crying.
dimmuck. I leave this tomorrow sennight . . thankful, ma'am, to have given notice in a dignified manner.
mrs. opie. I understand . . Those persons at table . .
dimmuck. You give notice.
mrs. opie. Mr. Dimmuck, this is my home.
lord arthur carp comes out of the dining-room. He is a thinner and more earnest-looking edition of his brother. mrs. opie turns a chair and hangs the cloak to warm before the fire, and then goes into the dining-room.