ened.) Now, please, Mr.
Shawn! Please don't frighten us as you did the other day. Please do try
and keep calm!

CARVE. I--(He suddenly stands up and then falls back again into
chair.)

(JANET returns quickly to the room)

HONORIA. (Alarmed, to JANET.) I'm afraid he isn't quite well yet.

CARVE. No, I can't tell you. At least, not now. Thanks very much for
calling. (Rises brusquely and walks towards the bedroom door.)

JANET. (To HONORIA.) He's not really strong enough to see visitors.

HONORIA. (Going to door and trying to be confidential.) What is it?

JANET. (With tranquillity.) Oh, influenza. Sometimes it takes 'em in
the head and sometimes in the stomach. It's taken him in the head.

HONORIA. Charming man! I don't suppose there's the least likelihood of
it--he's evidently very well off--but if he should be wanting a
situation similar to his last, I'm sure my uncle----

JANET. (Positively and curtly.) I don't think so.

HONORIA. Of course you know him very well?

JANET. Well, it's like this. I'm his cousin. We aren't exactly engaged
to be married----

HONORIA. (In a changed tone.) Oh, I see! Good afternoon.

JANET. Good afternoon.

(Exit HONORIA.)

CARVE. (Who has hesitatingly wandered back towards centre; in a quite
different tone now that he is alone again with JANET.) What's this
about being engaged to be married?

JANET. (Smiling.) I was telling her we weren't engaged to be married.
That's true, I suppose?

CARVE. But are we cousins?

JANET. Yes. I've got my reputation to think about. I don't want to
coddle it, but there's no harm in just keeping an eye on it.

CARVE. I see. (Sits down.)

JANET. If nothing comes of all this--

CARVE. All what?

JANET. All this illness and nursing and sitting up at nights,--then I'm
just your cousin, and no harm done.

CARVE. But do you mean to say you'd--

JANET. (Stopping-him.) Not so fast! (Pause. She continues
reflectively.) Do you know what struck me while her ladyship was
telling you about all the grand doings at the funeral--What good has it
ever done him to be celebrated and make a big splash in the world? Was
he any happier for it? From all I can hear he was always trying to hide
just as if the police were after him. He never had the slightest notion
of comfort, and so you needn't tell me! And there's another thing--you
needn't tell me he wasn't always worrying about some girl or other,
because I know he was. A bachelor at his age