DUCHESS.

You!

QUEX.

[Snapping his fingers.] By Jove, yes!

DUCHESS.

What are you going to do?

QUEX.

Give her a fair chance, and then spoil her tale against you, in any event.

DUCHESS.

How?

QUEX.

Trust to me. [Impatiently.] Go, Duchess.

DUCHESS.

But where? where can I—?

QUEX.

Run away to Mrs. Jack—­ask her to let you share her room to-night. [Pointing to the writing-table.] Ah—! scribble a message—­

[The DUCHESS seats herself at the writing-table and writes agitatedly at his dictation.

QUEX.

[Dictating.] “The Duchess of Strood has been seized with a dreadful fit of nerves and has gone to Mrs. Eden’s room.  Come to her there at eight.”  Lay that upon the bed. [Indicating the bedroom.] Is there a door in there?

DUCHESS.

[Rising breathlessly.] Yes.

QUEX.

Locked?

DUCHESS.

Yes.

QUEX.

The key. [Imperatively.] Give me the key. [She runs into the bedroom and, having laid the written message upon the bed, disappears for a moment.  He refills his tumbler and drinks, chuckling sardonically as he does so.] Ha, ha, ha! [She returns with the key, which he pockets.] The bell that rings in your maid’s room—? [She points to the bell-rope hanging beside the passage-door.] Good. [Motioning to her to go.] Now—­[She is going towards the other door; he detains her.] Hist! [Thoughtfully.] If anything unusual should occur, remember that we were simply discussing books and pictures in the Italian garden before dinner.

DUCHESS.

[Intently.] Books and pictures—­of course. [In an outburst.] Oh, you are certain you can save my reputation?

QUEX.

[Politely.] Yours at least, my dear Duchess.  Sleep well.

[She is about to open the door when a thought strikes her and she again runs up to the bed.

DUCHESS.

Ah—!

QUEX.

Hey?

[She returns, carrying her night-dress case—­a thing of white satin with a monogram and coronet embroidered upon it.  She holds it up to him in explanation; he nods, and she lets herself out.  He immediately locks the door at which she has departed and slips the key into his waistcoat pocket.  This done, he pulls the bell-rope communicating with the maid’s room and takes up a position against the wall so that the opening of the passage door conceals him from the view of the person entering.  After a pause the door is opened and SOPHY appears.  The frills of her night-dress peep out from under the Mandarin’s robe, and she is wearing a pair of scarlet cloth slippers; altogether she presents an