_, PATRICIA _slowly goes out; and a long silence
follows, during which the remaining men stir and stamp very
restlessly. The darkness increases. It is long before anyone
speaks._

DOCTOR. [_Abruptly._] Remarkable man that Conjurer. Clever man. Curious
man. Very curious man. A kind of man, you know.... Lord bless us! What's
that?

DUKE. What's what, eh? What's what?

DOCTOR. I swear I heard a footstep.

_Enter_ HASTINGS _with papers._

DUKE. Why, Hastings--Hastings--we thought you were a ghost. You must
be--er--looking white or something.

HASTINGS. I have brought back the answer of the Anti-Vegetarians ... I
mean the Vegetarians.

[_Drops one or two papers._

DUKE. Why, Hastings, you _are_ looking white.

HASTINGS. I ask your Grace's pardon. I had a slight shock on entering
the room.

DOCTOR. A shock? What shock?

HASTINGS. It is the first time, I think, that your Grace's work has been
disturbed by any private feelings of mine. I shall not trouble your
Grace with them. It will not occur again.

[_Exit_ HASTINGS.

DUKE. What an extraordinary fellow. I wonder if....

[_Suddenly stops speaking._

DOCTOR. [_After a long silence, in a low voice to_ SMITH.] How do you
feel?

SMITH. I feel I must have a window shut or I must have it open, and I
don't know which it is.

[_Another long silence._

SMITH. [_Crying out suddenly in the dark._] In God's name, go!

DOCTOR. [_Jumping up rather in a tremble._] Really, sir, I am not used
to being spoken to....

SMITH. It was not you whom I told to go.

DOCTOR. No. [_Pause._] But I think I will go. This room is simply
horrible.

[_He marches towards the door._

DUKE. [_Jumping up and bustling about, altering cards, papers, etc., on
tables._] Room horrible? Room horrible? No, no, no. [_Begins to run
quicker round the room, flapping his hands like fins._] Only a little
crowded. A little crowded. And I don't seem to know all the people. We
can't like everybody. These large at-homes....

[_Tumbles on to a chair._

CONJURER. [_Reappearing at the garden doors._] Go back to hell from
which I called you. It is the last order I shall give.

DOCTOR. [_Rising rather shakily._] And what are you going to do?

CONJURER. I am going to tell that poor little lad a lie. I have found
in the garden what he did not find in the garden. I have managed to
think of a natural explanation of that trick.

DOCTOR. [_Warmly moved