I"m afraid I can"t. Au revoir.
ADMIRAL.
A tout a l"heure.
[_He and_ ROSE _go out_.
GERALD.
Have you ever seen in your life any one so entirely delightful as Rose?
LADY FREDERICK.
[_Laughing._] Only when I"ve looked in the gla.s.s.
GERALD.
My dear Elizabeth, how vain you are.
LADY FREDERICK.
You"re very happy, my Gerald.
GERALD.
It"s such a relief to have got over all the difficulties. I thought it never would come right. You are a brick, Elizabeth.
LADY FREDERICK.
I really think I am rather.
GERALD.
The moment you promised to arrange things I felt as safe as a house.
LADY FREDERICK.
I said I"d do my best, didn"t I? And I told you not to worry.
GERALD.
[_Turning round suddenly._] Isn"t it all right?
LADY FREDERICK.
No, it"s about as wrong as it can possibly be. I knew Cohen was staying here, and I thought I could get him to hold the bills over for a few days.
GERALD.
And won"t he?
LADY FREDERICK.
He hasn"t got them any more.
GERALD.
[_Startled._] What!
LADY FREDERICK.
They"ve been negotiated, and he swears he doesn"t know who has them.
GERALD.
But who could have been such a fool?
LADY FREDERICK.
I don"t know, that"s just the awful part of it. It was bad enough before. I knew the worst Cohen could do, but now.... It couldn"t be Paradine.
GERALD.
And then there"s Montgomerie.
LADY FREDERICK.
I shall see him to-day.
GERALD.
What are you going to say to him?
LADY FREDERICK.
I haven"t an idea. I"m rather frightened of him.
GERALD.
You know, dear, if the worst comes to the worst....
LADY FREDERICK.
Whatever happens you shall marry Rose. I promise you that.
[PARADINE FOULDES _appears_.
FOULDES.