for me to put down my foot at last. (Exit, talking and gesticulating angrily.)
(After the exit of Sir William, Jem and Kitty look up slowly at one another. Their eyes meet. They turn away.)
Jem (much embarrassed): Kitty!
Kitty: Jem!
Jem: This is painful! In fact, it's worse than wicked—it's vulgar!
Kitty (gently). It's simply dreadful to see two people behaving in such a way.
Jem: And at their time of life!
Kitty: That's the awful part of it!
Jem: I wonder how they can do it!
Kitty (archly, yet on the verge of tears): So do I!
(At the last words they turn; their eyes meet. Kitty falters. Jem falters. After a moment they fall into one another's arms.)
Enter Porter: Her ladyship has bidden me to put her trunks together, ma'am.
Kitty: Wait a minute, Porter. Perhaps I can persuade her ladyship to stay. (Voices from without.)
Lady Flo: I wish to go this instant, and alone.
Sir W.: By all means, and to-morrow my lawyer shall wait on you.
Lady Flo: And mine on you. (After a moment, they enter.)
Lady Flo: And it has come to this, William!
Sir W.: By mutual consent. This is the happiest day of my life. I breathe again. I know now I have never breathed until this moment since the day I married you!
Lady Flo: This is beyond everything! (Violently excited.)
Jem (whispers aside to Kitty, unobserved; play on both sides; then, after evidently agreeing on a plan, pretend to treat the matter as a joke; advancing): Bravo! Bravissimo! Capital! (Roars with forced laughter.)
Kitty: "Splendid! I never saw anything so well done!"
Sir W.: "It's no laughing matter!")
Kitty: Splendid! I never saw anything so well done! (Joins her husband in laughter.)
Sir W.: It's no laughing matter!
Jem: Ha ha! I daresay not.
Kitty: Irving and Ellen Terry are not in it! (Continues laughing.)
Lady Flo: What can you mean?
Jem: Oh, don't pretend that you and my
