But you have your heart's desire at last, I presume?

IMOGEN.

I--I presume I have.

VALENTINE WHITE.

[Burying his head in his hands.] Oh!

IMOGEN.

What are you going to do next?

VALENTINE WHITE.

Japan.

IMOGEN.

Nice part of Japan?

VALENTINE WHITE.

The murderous districts.

IMOGEN.

Oh! Then you don't propose to--return alive?

VALENTINE WHITE.

Not according to my present arrangements.

IMOGEN.

You--you had better follow the shooters to Claigrossie now.

VALENTINE WHITE.

Certainly.

IMOGEN.

I am glad to have had this gossip over our prospects. We--we both seem
to be doing well. Good-morning.

[She offers her hand, which he takes ungraciously.]

VALENTINE WHITE.

Good-morning.

IMOGEN.

You haven't congratulated me yet--in the usual way.

VALENTINE WHITE.

Will you be happy with--him?

IMOGEN.

I think--partially.

VALENTINE WHITE.

But you're not going to partially marry Sir Colin. How dare you do this?

IMOGEN.

He was the first to ask me, Val.

VALENTINE WHITE.

The first to ask you! You don't mean to suggest that any other man would
have done!

IMOGEN.

No--not _any_ other.

VALENTINE WHITE.

_Some_ other?

IMOGEN.

It's too late now--but yes.

VALENTINE WHITE.

A poor man?

IMOGEN.

Val!

VALENTINE WHITE.

Would _I_ have stood the remotest chance?

IMOGEN.

It's too late now.

VALENTINE WHITE.

Would I? Would I?

IMOGEN.

No. Nor any other nineteenth century savage.

VALENTINE WHITE.

Savage!

IMOGEN.

Mr. White, it is very much too late now; but why, when you returned to
England, didn't you wear uncomfortable clothes like other gentlemen, and
a very high collar, and varnished boots, like other gentlemen?

VALENTINE WHITE.

Why? Because I cannot be false to my principles.

IMOGEN.

People say that principles which deal too much with the outside of
things are nothing but affectations.

VALENTINE WHITE.

Imogen!

IMOGEN.

If a man has a good heart he should have a good hat.

VALENTINE WHITE.

Imogen--Jenny! If I had ever come to you--in a good hat----

IMOGEN.

If you had, then when mamma urged me to marry perhaps she would not have
blamed me for----

VALENTINE WHITE.

For what?

IMOGEN.

For liking some pleasant-looking gentleman who laughed at harmless
follies instead of scolding them.

VALENTINE WHITE.

And now?

IMOGEN.

Now! Now--it is too late.

[She falls into his arms; he