TRANTO.  They told me you’d left early.

HILDEGARDE.  Why did you call?

TRANTO.  Shall I be frank?

HILDEGARDE.  Are you ever?

TRANTO.  I wanted to walk home with you.

HILDEGARDE.  Are you getting frightened about that next article of mine?

TRANTO.  No.  I’ve lost all interest in articles.

HILDEGARDE.  Even in my articles?

TRANTO.  Even in yours.  I’m only interested in the writer of your articles. (Agitated.) Miss Hilda, the hour is about to strike.

HILDEGARDE.  What hour?

TRANTO.  Listen, please.  Let me explain.  The situation is this.  Instinct has got hold of me.  When I woke up this morning something inside me said:  ’You must call at the Ministry for that young woman and walk home with her.’  This idea seemed marvellously beautiful to me; it seemed one of the most enchanting ideas that had ever entered the heart of man.  I thought of nothing else all the morning.  When I reached the Ministry and you’d gone, I felt as if I’d been shot.  Then I rushed here.  If you hadn’t been at home I don’t know what I should have done.  My fever has been growing every moment.  Providentially you are here.  I give you fair warning that I’m utterly in the grip of an instinct which is ridiculously unconventional and which will brook no delay.  I repeat, the hour is about to strike.

HILDEGARDE (rousing herself).  Before it actually strikes, I want to ask a question.

TRANTO.  But that’s just what I want to do.

HILDEGARDE.  Please.  One moment of your valuable time.

TRANTO.  The whole of my life.

HILDEGARDE.  Last night, why did you advise papa to give way to mamma and accept the baronetcy?

TRANTO.  Did I?

HILDEGARDE.  It seems so.

TRANTO.  Well—­er—­

HILDEGARDE.  You know it’s quite against his principles, and against mine and Johnnie’s, not to speak of yours.

TRANTO.  The fact is, you yourself had given me such an account of your mother’s personality that I felt sure she’d win anyhow; and—­and—­for reasons of my own, I wished to be on the winning side.  No harm in that, surely.  And as regards principles, I have a theory about principles.  Your father was much struck by it when I told him.

HILDEGARDE.  Namely?

TRANTO.  There are no principles in married life.

HILDEGARDE.  Oh, indeed!  Well, there may not be any principles in your married life, but there most positively will be in mine, if I ever have a married life.  And let me tell you that you aren’t on the winning side after all—­you’re on the losing side.

TRANTO.  How?  Has your—­

HILDEGARDE.  Johnnie and I have had a great interview with mamma, and she’s yielded.  She’s abandoned the baronetcy.  In half an hour from now the baronetcy will have been definitely and finally refused.