HECTOR. Who?

BETTY. Mary Gillingham. We're the first to know--he only proposed to-day.

HECTOR. Gillingham, Gillingham.... Oh yes, I've seen her, just seen her,
but I don't remember.... I say, not the daughter of the sealing-wax man?

WALTER. Yes.

HECTOR. Then there's lots of tin! Fine! Oh you artful old dodger! Is she
pretty?

WALTER. So-So.

BETTY. [_Still leaning against the table, and looking at them both._]
She's excessively pretty. She has yellow hair and blue eyes.

HECTOR. [_Chuckling._] And she has caught old Wallie. The cynical old
Wallie who sniffed at women! Though perhaps it's the money--

BETTY. No. He's in love with her.

HECTOR. That's good. I'm glad. And I congratulate you--heartily, my boy.
[_He seizes_ WALTER'S _hand, and wrings it._] We must drink to it! [_He
gets up, goes to the side-table, and pours some whiskey into a tumbler._]
Charge your glass, Walter! [WALTER _rises and goes to the side-table._]
Ladies and gentlemen. I give you the bride and bridegroom! [_He fills the
glass from the syphon and passes it to_ WALTER, _then proceeds to fill his
own._] Betty, you must join us.

BETTY. [_Quietly._] No.

HECTOR. You can't toast him in water, of course. Has she cleared away yet?
I'll get you some Hock.

[_He puts his glass down and moves to the door at back._

BETTY. Don't be so silly. I won't drink at all.

HECTOR. [_Amazed._] Not to old Walter?

BETTY. [_Steadily._] No.

HECTOR. Why?

BETTY. [_Almost jeeringly._] Because--old Walter--has been my lover.

HECTOR. [_Stopping, and staring at her._] What?

BETTY. [_Calmly, looking full at him._] My lover ... these last two years.

HECTOR. [_Staring stupidly at her._] He has been--

BETTY. [_Impatiently, as she taps the floor with her foot._] Yes, yes. How
often must I tell you? My lover--don't you know what that means? Why do
you stare at me with those fat goggle-eyes of yours? He has been my
lover--and now he has fallen in love with this girl and means to marry
her. That's all.

HECTOR. [_Turning towards_ WALTER, _who hasn't stirred from the
side-table._] What? You?

[WALTER _remains motionless and silent._

HECTOR. [_In muffled tones, scarcely able to speak._] You! It's true what
this woman says?

BETTY. [_Contemptuously._] This woman! Don't be so melodramatic! Have you
forgotten my name?

HECTOR. [_Turning fiercely to her, roaring madly._] Silence, Jezebel!
[_She shrinks back, in alarm, towards the fi