[There is a brief pause.  The she rises and walks across the room, outwardly calm but twisting her hands.]

Agnes.  Well, you’ve had Mr. Cleeve’s answer to that.

St. Olpherts.  Yes.

Agnes.  Which finally disposes of the whole matter—­disposes of it—­

St. Olpherts.  Completely. [Struck by an idea.] Unless you—­

Agnes. [Turning to him.] Unless I—­

St. Olpherts.  Unless you—­

Agnes. [After a moment’s pause.] What did Lucas say to you when you—?

St. Olpherts.  He said he knew you’d never make that sacrifice for him. [She pulls herself up rigidly.] So he declined to pain you by asking you to do it.

Agnes. [Crossing swiftly to the settee, and speaking straight into his face.] That’s a lie!

St. Olpherts.  Keep your temper, my dear.

Agnes. [Passionately.] His love may not last—­it won’t!—­but at this moment he loves me better than that!  He wouldn’t make a mere light thing of me!

St. Olpherts.  Wouldn’t he?  You try him!

Agnes.  What!

St. Olpherts.  You put him to the test!

Agnes. [With her hands to her brows.] Oh—!

St. Olpherts.  No, no—­don’t!

Agnes. [Faintly.] Why?

St. Olpherts.  I like you.  Damn him—­you deserve to live your hour!

[Lucas enters with a letter in his hand.  Agnes sits.]

Lucas. [Giving st. Olpherts the letter.] Thanks. [St. Olpherts pockets the letter and picks up his cloak, Lucas assisting him.]

Agnes. [Outwardly calm.] Oh—­Lucas—­

Lucas.  Yes?

Agnes.  The Duke has been—­has been—­telling me—­

Lucas.  What, dear?

Agnes.  The sort of arrangement proposed for your going back to London.

Lucas.  Oh, my brother’s brilliant idea!

Agnes.  Acquiesced in by your wife. [St. Olpherts strolls away from them.]

Lucas.  Certainly; as I anticipated, she has become intensely dissatisfied with her position.

Agnes.  And it would be quite possible, it seems, for you to resume your old career?

Lucas.  Just barely possible—­well, for the moment, quite possible.

Agnes.  Quite possible.

Lucas.  I haven’t, formally, made a sign to my political friends yet.  It’s a task one leaves to the last.  I shall do so now—­at once.  My people have been busying themselves, it appears, in reporting that I shall return to London directly my health is fully re-established.

Agnes.  In the hope—?  Oh, yes.

Lucas.  Hoping they’d be able to separate us before it was too—­too late.