St. Olpherts.  I must trouble you to address remarks of that nature to Sir Sandford Cleeve.  I am no longer a prime mover in the affair.  I am simply standing by.

Amos.  But how can you “stand by”?

St. Olpherts.  Confound it, sir, if you will trouble yourself to rescue people, there is a man to be rescued here as well as a woman; a man, by the way, who is a—­a sort of relative of mine.

Amos.  The woman first!

St. Olpherts.  Not always.  You can rescue this woman in a few weeks’ time; it can make no difference.

Amos. [Indignantly.] Ah—!

St. Olpherts.  Oh, you are angry!

Amos.  I beg your pardon.  One word.  I assure your Grace that I truly believe this wretched woman is at a fatal crisis in her life.  I believe that if I lose her now there is every chance of her slipping back into a misery and despair out of which it will be impossible to drag her.  Oh, I’ll be perfectly open with you.  At this moment we—­my sister and I—­are not perfectly sure of her.  Her affection for this man may still induce her to sacrifice herself utterly for him; she is still in danger of falling to the lowest depth a woman can attain.  Come, Duke, don’t help these people.  And don’t “stand by!” Help me and my sister.  For God’s sake!

St. Olpherts.  My good Mr. Winterfield, believe me or not, I—­I positively like this woman.

Amos. [Gladly.] Ah!

St. Olpherts.  She attracts me curiously.  And if she wanted assistance—­

Amos.  Doesn’t she?

St. Olpherts.  Money—­

Amos.  No, no.

St. Olpherts.  She should have it.  But as for the rest—­well—­

Amos.  Well?

St. Olpherts.  Well sir, you must understand me.  It is a failing of mine; I can’t approach women—­I never could—­in the missionary spirit.

[Gertrude re-enters; the men turn to face her.]

Amos. [To Gertrude.] Will she—?

Gertrude.  Yes. [St. Olpherts limps out of the room, bowing to Gertrude as he passes.] Oh, Amos!

Amos.  Are we to lose the poor soul after all, Gerty?

Gertrude.  I—­I can’t think so.  Oh! but I’m afraid.

[St. Olpherts returns, and sir Sandford Cleeve enters with Sybil Cleeve.  Sandford is a long, lean, old-young man with a pinched face.  Sybil is a stately, handsome young woman, beautifully gowned and thickly veiled.]

St. Olpherts.  Mrs Thorpe—­Mr Winterfield. [Sybil and Sandford bow distantly to Gertrude and Amos.]

Amos. [To Sandford and Sybil, indicating the settee.] Will you—? [Sybil sits on the settee; Sandford takes the chair beside her.] Gertrude—­[Gertrude goes out.]