"Eldorado Palace of Varieties. Admit Mr. Toovey and Party to Box C. This portion to be retained."
Mrs. Toov. You need not trouble yourself about that, Theophilus. I will sit up for you, if necessary.
Mr. Toov. (quaking). But you forget your Zenana Mission, my love; you will be out yourself this evening!
Mrs. Toov. (severely). I shall be back by a reasonable hour, Pa,—and so will you, I should hope.
Mr. Toov. I hope so, my love, I'm sure, but—but I may have a good deal to say to Charles, you know.
Mrs. Toov. (to herself). There's some mystery about that wretched boy, I'm certain. If I could only find out what was in that letter. I wonder if it's in Pa's pocket—I'll soon see. (Aloud.) Turn round, Pa. Ah, I thought as much; one of your coat-tail buttons is as nearly off as it can be!
Mr. Toov. (innocently). Dear me! My Sunday coat, too. I never observed it. Could you just fasten it on a little more securely?
Mrs. Toov. If you take off your coat. I can't do it with you prancing about in front of me, Pa. (Mr. T. takes off his coat.) Now, I can't have you in my drawing-room in your shirtsleeves—suppose somebody called! Go into your study and wait there till I've done. (Mr. T. departs submissively.) Now if the letter isn't in one of these pockets, it must be in—— (She discovers the envelope.) There it is. Now I shall know what Charles—— I'm sure his poor dear mother would wish to be informed. (She opens the letter.) "Eldorado Palace of Varieties. Admit Mr. Toovey and party to Box C. This portion to be retained." (She tears off a perforated slip.) I will retain it! So Theophilus has been deceiving me—this is his business with Charles! This is why he kept that programme! And he's allowing himself to be misled by his own nephew! They're going to this music-hall to-night, together! He shall not go—never while I—stop, let me think—yes, he shall go—he shall fill up the measure of his iniquity, little dreaming that I have the clear proof of his deceit! (She thrusts the slip she has torn off into her workbox, and replaces the envelope with the remainder of the order in the pocket.) There. He won't notice that anything is missing. He's coming back. I must control myself, or he will be on his guard.
[She pretends to secure the button with unsteady fingers.
Mr. Toov. (entering). Cornelia, my love, don't trouble to do more than is absolutely necessary to keep the button secure—because I'm rather in a hurry. It doesn't matter, so long as it looks respectable!