bling!

_Harry._ Once more, madam, have I all your bills?

_Dolly._ No, you haven't!

_Harry._ Then please hand them over to me this instant, so that I may
take proceedings.

_Dolly._ [_Laughing._] Proceedings! Ha! Take your proceedings!

_Harry._ By Jove! I will take proceedings.

_Dolly._ Take them! Take them!

_Harry._ [_Walking about furiously with the bills._] So this is the way
the money goes! [_Banging the bills._] While I have to smoke twopenny
cigars! And can't get a decent dinner!

_Dolly._ You can't get a decent dinner?

_Harry._ No! Look at those messes last night. They weren't fit for a
cook-shop.

_Dolly._ Oh! Oh! Oh! Get a housekeeper! Get a housekeeper!

_Harry._ By Jove! that's what I mean to do!

_Dolly._ Have Miss Smithson! Send for her to-morrow morning! I'll hand
her over the keys!

_Harry._ [_Shouting._] And please hand me over the rest of your bills!
The rest of your bills, madam!

[DOLLY _marches up to the desk._

MATT _appears at door in dressing-gown._

_Matt._ I can't get a wink of sleep----

[DOLLY _takes out about twenty more bills._

_Harry._ I insist on seeing the whole lot! So there!

_Dolly._ [_Flourishing the bills, strewing them on the floor._] Well
there! And there! And there! And there! Now you've got the whole lot!
And I hope you're satisfied. I'm going into Renie's room! [_Exit._

_Harry._ I insist on your going through these bills----

[_Following her off. Their voices are heard retreating upstairs_,
DOLLY _saying_, "go through the bills! Send for Miss Smithson! Have
her here to-morrow morning! Take your proceedings," HARRY _saying_,
"I insist on going through the bills to-night! Do you hear, madam,
I insist! Will you come down and go through these bills," etc.

_Matt._ [_Listens, as their voices die away. When the voices have
ceased, he surveys the scene._] We're making a splendid start for the
New Year!

[_Sees the box on the floor, picks it up, carefully places it on
table and goes off._

CURTAIN.

(_A year passes between Acts III and IV._)

ACT IV.

SCENE: _The same._

TIME: _Afternoon of January 1st, 1908._

_Enter_ LUCAS, _followed by_ CRIDDLE. LUCAS _has his left
collar-bone broken, and his arm is strapped across his breast; his
coat is buttoned loosely over the arm, the left sleeve hanging
down._

_Lucas._ They've gone to meet me?

_Criddle._ Yes,