LTER. You want me to write to him?

HECTOR. [_Nodding._] To him. Who else? A confession? I've had that. His
name?

WALTER. [_Dropping the pen and half rising._] I won't--

HECTOR. [_Springing upon him in a mad fury, and forcing him back into the
chair._] You won't, you dog! You dare say that--to me! By Heaven, you
will! You'll lick the dust off this floor, if I tell you! You'll go on
your hands and knees, and crawl! Sit down, you! Sit down and take up your
filthy pen. So. [_Thoroughly cowed,_ WALTER _has taken up the pen again._]
And now--his name. Don't make me ask you again, I tell you, don't. What is
it?

WALTER. Richard.

HECTOR. Very well, Richard. So write that down. To Richard Gillingham. I
have to-day proposed to your daughter, and she has accepted me. Got that?
She has accepted me. But I can't marry her--can't marry her--because I
have seduced the wife of my friend Hector Allen--

WALTER. [_Appealingly, dropping his pen._] Hector!

HECTOR. [_Frantically gripping_ WALTER _by the throat, till he takes up
his pen again._] The wife of my friend Hector Allen--write it--and
plainly, you hound, plainly--so--and because I am taking the woman away
with me to-night.

BETTY. [_With a loud cry._] Hector!

HECTOR. [_Over his shoulder, watching_ WALTER _write._] Silence, over
there, you! Hold your tongue! Go into your room and put on your
things--we've done with you here! Take what you want--I don't care--you
don't show your face here again. And you--[_he taps his clenched hand
against_ WALTER'S _arm_] write. What are you stopping for? How far have
you got? [_He peers over_ WALTER'S _shoulder._] Because--I--am--taking--
the--woman--away--with--me--to-night.

BETTY. [_Beside herself, wringing her hands._] Hector, Hector--

HECTOR. [_Savagely, as he makes a half-turn towards her._] You still
there? Wait a bit. I'll come to you, when I've finished with him. If you
haven't gone and put on your things, you shall go off without them. Into
the street. You'll find other women there like you. [_He turns back to_
WALTER.] Here, you, have you written? [_He looks over_ WALTER'S
_shoulder._] Go on--I'm getting impatient. Go on, I tell you.
I--am--taking--the--

[WALTER _is slowly writing down the words,_ HECTOR _standing over
him;_ BETTY _suddenly bursts into a peal of wild, uproarious
laughter, and lets herself fall into a chair to the left of the
card-table._

HECTOR. [_Madly._] You!

[_He le