racing her.) Hush, hush! There!
(Cajolingly.) Who's being an infant now?

JANET. I don't pretend to understand this art.

CARVE. I hope you never will. One of the chief charms of existence in
your wigwam, my child, is that I never hear any confounded chatter about
art. Now--are we pals?

JANET. (Smiling reconciliation.) Darling, do turn the gas up.

CARVE. (Obeying, struck by her attire.) Why--what are you dressed
like that for?

JANET. I was thinking of going away.

(Exit, L.)

(She re-enters immediately with kettle and puts it on fire.)

CARVE. Going away?

JANET. (Smiling.) Now do listen, darling. Let's go away. We can't stop
here. This Ebag case is getting more and more on your nerves, and on
mine too. I'm sure that's what's the matter with us. What it'll be next
week when the trial comes on, I don't know--upon my soul I don't. It's
all very well for you to refuse to see callers and never go out. But I
can tell you one thing--we shall have those newspaper people on the roof
in a day or two, and looking down the chimney to see how I lay the fire.
Lawyers are nothing to them. Do you know--no you don't, because I didn't
want you to be upset--last night's milk was brought by a
journalist--with a camera. They're beginning to bribe the tradesmen. I
tremble to think what will be in this morning's papers.

CARVE. (Trying to make light of it.) Oh, nothing will upset me now.
But you might let me know at once if the editor of the Spectator calls
round with the bread.

JANET. And I'll tell you another thing. That Mr. Horning--you know the
breathless man on the Evening Courier that came to the Grand
Babylon--he's taken lodgings opposite--arrived last night.

CARVE. Oh, for a machine gun--one simple little machine gun!

(Exit JANET, L.)

She immediately returns with a tray containing bread, etc., and a
toasting-fork.

JANET. So I thought if we just vanished--

CARVE. It's too late--I've had the subpoena. If I hooked it, everybody
would say I was an adventurer.

JANET. We could come back for the trial.

CARVE. We should be followed.

JANET. Not if we start now.

CARVE. Now?

JANET. Yes, now! The back door. Before it gets light.

CARVE. Creep away in the dark! No! I'll go through with the thing.

JANET. Well, I shall travel alone, then. Here's my bunch of keys. I'll
just explain to you where everything is. I daresay Mrs. Simpson will
come in and clean up. She's not bad, as cha