Gerald.

Thank God, he’s coming upstairs at last. I should like to kick him.

[Cries of “Terrible catastrophe in India. ’Eroic death of Lord ’Ollington.”

Good God!

[They all remain in silence, full of consternation. Charles enters with the paper.

Hurry up, man! What the deuce have you been doing?

[He snatches the paper from him.

Charles.

[With dignity.] I made all the ’aste I could, my lord.

[Gerald stops for a moment from looking up and down the paper, and stares at him.