SOPHY.
Oh, don"t make a fuss about nothing. You servants _are_ an old-fashioned lot. Bong swor!
THE VOICES.
[_Angrily._] Oh, good-night.
SOPHY.
Ha, ha, ha!
[_She closes the door and totters away from it, sobbing hysterically, as_ QUEX _comes to her._
QUEX.
[_Kindly._] Be off. Go to bed. Serve me how you please. Miss Fullgarney, upon my soul, I--I humbly beg your pardon.
SOPHY.
[_Pa.s.sing him._] Oh! oh! oh! [_Turning to him._] Oh, G.o.d bless you!
You--you--you"re a gentleman! I"ll do what I can for you!
[_She staggers to the pa.s.sage-door and disappears, closing the door behind her. Then he extinguishes the remaining light, and cautiously lets himself out at the other door._
END OF THE THIRD ACT.
THE FOURTH ACT
_The scene is the same, in every respect, as that of the First Act._
[_On the right_ MISS CLARIDGE _is manicuring a young gentleman. On the left_ MISS MOON _is putting her manicure-table in order, as if she has recently disposed of a customer._ MISS LIMBIRD _is again at her desk, busy over accounts. The door-gong sounds and, after a short interval,_ QUEX _and_ FRAYNE _enter, preceded by_ MISS HUDDLE. FRAYNE _appears particularly depressed and unwell._
QUEX.
[_Nodding to_ MISS LIMBIRD.] Good morning.
MISS LIMBIRD.
Morning.
QUEX.
[_To_ MISS HUDDLE.] Miss Fullgarney has not yet arrived, you say?
MISS HUDDLE.
Not yet.
QUEX.
[_Looking at his watch._] Twenty minutes to twelve.
MISS MOON.
Yes, we"ve never known Miss Fullgarney to be so late at her business. I do hope she hasn"t been run over and injured.
MISS HUDDLE.
Or murdered by tramps.
QUEX.
My dear young lady!
MISS MOON.
Well, one does read _such_ things in the ha"penny papers.
MISS HUDDLE.
And she went down to Richmond yesterday afternoon, you know--to Fauncey Court.
QUEX.
Of course I know--and slept there.
MISS MOON.
Oh, did she?
QUEX.
And has come up to town this morning.
MISS HUDDLE.
Then she"ll have gone home, I expect, to change.
MISS MOON.
That"s what she"s done. [_Slightly disappointed._] Well, I _should_ have been sorry if anything had happened to her.
QUEX.