see
whether Mrs Dubedat will come back?

SIR PATRICK. I think we'd better go. We can tell the charwoman what to
do.

They take their hats and go to the door.

MRS DUBEDAT [coming from the inner door wonderfully and beautifully
dressed, and radiant, carrying a great piece of purple silk, handsomely
embroidered, over her arm] I'm so sorry to have kept you waiting.

SIR PATRICK } [amazed, all { Dont mention it, madam. B.B. } together {
Not at all, not at all. RIDGEON } in a confused { By no means. WALPOLE }
murmur] { It doesnt matter in the least.

MRS. DUBEDAT [coming to them] I felt that I must shake hands with his
friends once before we part to-day. We have shared together a great
privilege and a great happiness. I dont think we can ever think of
ourselves ordinary people again. We have had a wonderful experience; and
that gives us a common faith, a common ideal, that nobody else can
quite have. Life will always be beautiful to us: death will always be
beautiful to us. May we shake hands on that?

SIR PATRICK [shaking hands] Remember: all letters had better be left to
your solicitor. Let him open everything and settle everything. Thats the
law, you know.

MRS DUBEDAT. Oh, thank you: I didnt know. [Sir Patrick goes].

WALPOLE. Good-bye. I blame myself: I should have insisted on operating.
[He goes].

B.B. I will send the proper people: they will know it to do: you shall
have no trouble. Good-bye, my dear lady. [He goes].

RIDGEON. Good-bye. [He offers his hand].

MRS DUBEDAT [drawing back with gentle majesty] I said his friends, Sir
Colenso. [He bows and goes].

She unfolds the great piece of silk, and goes into the recess to cover
her dead.

ACT V

One of the smaller Bond Street Picture Galleries. The entrance is from
a picture shop. Nearly in the middle of the gallery there is a
writing-table, at which the Secretary, fashionably dressed, sits with
his back to the entrance, correcting catalogue proofs. Some copies of a
new book are on the desk, also the Secretary's shining hat and a couple
of magnifying glasses. At the side, on his left, a little behind him,
is a small door marked PRIVATE. Near the same side is a cushioned bench
parallel to the walls, which are covered with Dubedat's works. Two
screens, also covered with drawings, stand near the corners right and
left of the entrance.

Jennifer, beautifully dressed and apparently very happy and prosperous,
comes into the gallery through the p