Marmaduke's Mansion in Park Lane, August, 1916.
[Enter Mary Beltravers (née Gray), unhappy.
Mary. My little dog—my only friend—I cannot find him. (She rummages absently among the papers on her husband's desk. Suddenly she snatches up a document, reads it through and clutches at her throat.) My husband—a German ser-py! (She turns savagely on Marmaduke, who has just entered.) So this—this is the source of our wealth! Your munitions arm our enemies. You play the German game.
M.B. (simply). I do. I have a birth qualification.
Mary (wildly). But I'll thwart you; I'll denounce you (seizes telephone). You shall rue the day you married a true daughter of England.
M.B. (with sinister significance). Remember, Mary, "to love, honour and OBEY." Put down that instrument. [With a gesture of despair she lets the receiver fall, thus driving the girl at the exchange nearly frantic. Suddenly the door is thrown open. Enter Captain George Jeffreys with Sergeant-Major Tompkins and squad of soldiers.
G.J. Marmaduke Beltravers, né Heinrich Hoggenheimer, the game is up. (Marmaduke dashes to the window. The dozen supers outside raise a howl of execration mingled with cries of "Lynch the spy!") You see, there is no way of escape.
M.B. (drawing revolver). You shall not long enjoy your triumph. I have but one cartridge, but perchance it will be enough for you. [Pulls trigger, but finds action rather stiff.
G.J. Look out, Mary! These things are rather tricky in inexperienced hands. [Marmaduke succeeds in pulling trigger. There is a violent explosion and a large hole appears in George's breeches.
G.J. (calmly to the baffled Marmaduke). Bad luck! That's my cork one. I lost the original when I got this. [Touches V.C. pinned on his breast.