not--Cyn to you now.

JOHN. Awfully sorry; didn't mean to be beastly, Cyn. [CYNTHIA _turns
quickly._ JOHN _stamps his foot._] Cynthia! Sorry. I'll make it a
commandment: thou shalt not Cyn!!

[CYNTHIA _laughs and wipes her eyes._

CYNTHIA. How can you, Jack? How can you?

JOHN. Well, hang it, my dear child, I--I'm sorry, but you know I
always got foolish with you. Your laugh'd make a horse laugh. Why,
don't you remember that morning in the park before breakfast--when you
laughed so hard your horse ran away with you!

CYNTHIA. I do, I do! [_Both laugh. The door opens and_ NOGAM _comes
in, unnoticed by either._] But what was it started me laughing?
[_Laughing, she sits down and laughs again._] That morning. Wasn't it
somebody we met? [_Laughing afresh._] Wasn't it a man on a horse? [_As
her memory pieces the picture, she again goes off into laughter._

JOHN. [_Laughing too._] Of course! You didn't know him in those days!
But I did! And he looked a sight in the saddle!

[NOGAM, _trying to catch their attention, moves toward the
table._

CYNTHIA. Who was it?

JOHN. Phillimore!

CYNTHIA. He's no laughing matter now. [_Seeing_ NOGAM.] Jack, he's
here!

JOHN. Eh? Oh, Nogam?

NOGAM. Mr. Phillimore, sir--

JOHN. In the house?

NOGAM. On the street in a hansom, sir--and he requests Mrs.
Karslake--

JOHN. That'll do, Nogam. [NOGAM _goes out and there is a pause._ JOHN,
_on his way to the window, looks at_ CYNTHIA, _who has slowly risen
and turned her back to him._] Well, Cynthia?

[_He speaks almost gravely and with finality._]

CYNTHIA. [_Trembling._] Well?

JOHN. It's the hour of decision; are you going to marry him?
[_Pause._] Speak up!

CYNTHIA. Jack,--I--I--

JOHN. There he is--you can join him. [_He points to the street._

CYNTHIA. Join Phillimore--and go home--with him--to his house, and
Miss Heneage and--

JOHN. The door's open. [_He points to the door._

CYNTHIA. No, no! It's mean of you to suggest it!

JOHN. You won't marry--

CYNTHIA. Phillimore--no; never. [_Running to the window._] No; never,
never, Jack.

JOHN. [_Opening the window and calling out._] It's all right, Judge.
You needn't wait.

_There is a pause._ JOHN _leaves the window and bursts into
laughter. He moves toward the door and closes it._ CYNTHIA
_looks dazed._

CYNTHIA. Jack! [JOHN _laughs._] Yes, but I'm here, Jack.

JOHN. Why not?

CYNTHIA. You'll have to take me r