She will have the strict truth, or nothing; still, on account of Sudley's impeccable respectability, she treats him with more than usual leniency.
Sudley. [Sitting down.] We left Cairo six weeks ago, Grace, so I've had no news since you wrote in February that Philip was engaged. [After a pause.] I need not to say I consider Philip's engagement excessively regrettable. He is a judge upon the Supreme Court bench with a divorced wife—and such a divorced wife!
Grace. Oh, but Philip has succeeded in keeping everything as quiet as possible.
Sudley. [Acidly.] No, my dear! He has not succeeded in keeping his former wife as quiet as possible. We had not been in Cairo a week when who should turn up but Vida Phillimore. She went everywhere and did everything no woman should!
Grace. [With unfeigned interest.] Oh, what did she do?
Sudley. She "did" Cleopatra at the tableaux at Lord Errington's! She "did" Cleopatra, and she did it robed only in some diaphanous material of a nature so transparent that—in fact she appeared to be draped in moonshine. [Miss Heneage indicates the presence of Grace and rises.] That was only the beginning. As soon as she heard of Philip's engagement, she gave a dinner in honour of it! Only divorcées were asked! And she had a dummy—yes, my dear, a dummy!—at the head of the table. He stood for Philip—that is he sat for Philip!
[Rising and moving to the table.
Miss Heneage. [Irritated and disgusted.] Ah!
Mrs. Phillimore. [With dismay and pain.] Dear me!
Miss Heneage. [Confident of the value of her opinion.] I disapprove of Mrs. Phillimore.