.

[_Constrainedly._] Well, darling?

MURIEL.

[_In the same way._] Well, Sophy?

SOPHY.

You're here then?

MURIEL.

As you see.

SOPHY.

Any difficulty?

MURIEL.

[_In a hard voice._] No. The Duchess and Mrs. Jack were coming to town
shopping, and Lady Owbridge proposed that she and I should tack
ourselves on to them.

SOPHY.

How have you got rid of 'em?

MURIEL.

Spoken the truth, for once--my head really does throb terribly. They
think I've run in here to sit quietly with you while they--[_Suddenly._]
Oh, be quick, Sophy!

SOPHY.

Quick, dear?

MURIEL.

Why don't you tell me?

SOPHY.

Tell you--?

MURIEL.

About last night--this woman--

SOPHY.

Her Grace?

MURIEL.

Yes, yes.

SOPHY.

Oh, why, I haven't anything to tell, darling.

MURIEL.

Haven't anything to--?

SOPHY.

You see, I couldn't help remembering what you'd called me--mean, and
despicable, and all the rest of it; and the feeling came over me that
you were right, that I had been sneaky. And so, after I'd attended to
her Grace, I--I went straight to bed.

MURIEL.

[_Sitting._] Oh, yes. Then you didn't attempt to--to watch?

SOPHY.

No.

MURIEL.

[_Faintly._] Oh!

SOPHY.

Aren't you glad?

MURIEL.

Glad!

SOPHY.

Why, you were certain that the word or two I'd overheard meant nothing
wrong.

MURIEL.

I said so.

SOPHY.

Said so!

MURIEL.

[_Turning to her with clenched hands._] Yes, but at the same time you
put the dreadful idea into my head, Sophy, and I've not been able to
dismiss it for one moment since.

SOPHY.

[_Under her breath._] Oh!

[_Sitting._

MURIEL.

[_Lifting her veil._] There! you can see what I've been going through.

SOPHY.

[_Looking at her._] I'm so sorry.

MURIEL.

[_Looking at_ SOPHY.] _You_ look rather washed out too. Haven't you
slept, either?

SOPHY.

[_Turning her head away._] Not over well. [_Falteringly._] Then, after
all, it would have been better if I _had_ spied on her?

MURIEL.

Anything--even that--would have been preferable to this uncertainty.

SOPHY.

[_To herself, her jaw falling._] Oh--!

MURIEL.

[_Looking towards the window._] Has _he_ arrived?

SOPHY.

Yes. [MURIEL _rises, then_ SOPHY.

MURIEL.

[_Producing, from her pocket, a jeweller's case and showing it to_
SOPHY.] Do you like this? I've just bought it, over the way, at
Gressier's.

SOPHY.

For Captain Bastling?

MURIEL.

[_With a nod, o