ey, he disappears behind the screen. Jennifer
comes back with her book. A look round satisfies her that she is alone.
She seats herself at the table and admires the memoir--her first printed
book--to her heart's content. Ridgeon re-appears, face to the wall,
scrutinizing the drawings. After using his glass again, he steps back
to get a more distant view of one of the larger pictures. She hastily
closes the book at the sound; looks round; recognizes him; and stares,
petrified. He takes a further step back which brings him nearer to her.

RIDGEON [shaking his head as before, ejaculates] Clever brute! [She
flushes as though he had struck her. He turns to put the glass down on
the desk, and finds himself face to face with her intent gaze]. I beg
your pardon. I thought I was alone.

JENNIFER [controlling herself, and speaking steadily and meaningly] I am
glad we have met, Sir Colenso Ridgeon. I met Dr Blenkinsop yesterday. I
congratulate you on a wonderful cure.

RIDGEON [can find no words; makes an embarrassed gesture of assent after
a moment's silence, and puts down the glass and the Secretary's list on
the table].

JENNIFER. He looked the picture of health and strength and prosperity.
[She looks for a moment at the walls, contrasting Blenkinsop's fortune
with the artist's fate].

RIDGEON [in low tones, still embarrassed] He has been fortunate.

JENNIFER. Very fortunate. His life has been spared.

RIDGEON. I mean that he has been made a Medical Officer of Health. He
cured the Chairman of the Borough Council very successfully.

JENNIFER. With your medicines?

RIDGEON. No. I believe it was with a pound of ripe greengages.

JENNIFER [with deep gravity] Funny!

RIDGEON. Yes. Life does not cease to be funny when people die any more
than it ceases to be serious when people laugh.

JENNIFER. Dr Blenkinsop said one very strange thing to me.

RIDGEON. What was that?

JENNIFER. He said that private practice in medicine ought to be put down
by law. When I asked him why, he said that private doctors were ignorant
licensed murderers.

RIDGEON. That is what the public doctor always thinks of the private
doctor. Well, Blenkinsop ought to know. He was a private doctor long
enough himself. Come! you have talked at me long enough. Talk to me. You
have something to reproach me with. There is reproach in your face, in
your voice: you are full of it. Out with it.

JENNIFER. It is too late for reproaches now. When I turned an