was the number?----

OTTOLINE.

[_Contracting her brows._] _Quarante-trois bis._

PHILIP.

[_Banteringly._] Where you honoured me with a visit, madame, with your
maid Nanette----

OTTOLINE.

[_Warding off the recollection with a gesture._] Oh, don't----!

PHILIP.

Ha, ha, ha! A shame of me----!

OTTOLINE.

[_Turning from him._] Do get your hat and coat.

PHILIP.

[_Going into the vestibule._] Where's your car?

OTTOLINE.

[_Moving towards the vestibule._] In South Square.

PHILIP.

[_Returning to her, a cape over his shoulders, a soft hat on his
head._] Eight o'clock!

OTTOLINE.

Eight o'clock.

[_He takes her hands and they stand looking into each
other's eyes._

PHILIP.

[_After a pause._] Fancy!

OTTOLINE.

[_Faintly._] Fancy! [_He is drawing her to him slowly when, uttering a
low cry, she embraces him wildly and passionately._] Oh! [_Clinging to
him._] Oh, Phil! Oh--oh--oh----!

PHILIP.

[_Responding to her embrace._] Otto--Otto----!

OTTOLINE.

[_Breaking from him._] Oh----!

[_She hurries to the outer door. He follows her quickly,
closing the vestibule door after him. Then the outer
door is heard to shut, and the curtain falls. After a
short interval, the curtain rises again, showing all the
doors closed and the study in darkness save for the
light of the fire. The bell rings, and again there is an
interval; and then the vestibule door is opened by_
JOHN--_attired for waiting at table--and_ BERTRAM
_brushes past him and enters._ BERTRAM _is in evening
dress._

BERTRAM.

[_As he enters, brusquely._] Yes, I know I'm a little too soon. I want
to speak to Mr. Mackworth--before the others come, I mean t'say----

[JOHN _switches on the light of a lamp by the vestibule
door. It is now seen that_ BERTRAM _is greatly flustered
and excited._