Toby: Sometimes.

John: Do you hate me now?

Toby: No.

John: Do you love me?

[For answer she looks up and her lips seek his—they kiss as lovers ... uncannily there is a shrill whistle in the room. Toby disentangles herself with wide-open eyes.

John: Sssssssh!

[A second whistle ... and a third, louder ... then silence; downstairs the enraged Mr. Freeman has banged the tube back on its hook.

Toby: Whatever is it?

John: A speaking-tube.

Toby: A speaking-tube? ... who taught it? ... what’s it say?