WALTER. The moment I tried to, the figure rose up and stunned me.
STELLA (_up to him, throws arms round him_). It’s Walter!
(_Enter MRS. ANDERSON with telegram D. in F., and gives it. JACK opens it._)
MRS. ANDERSON (_seeing WALTER_). Ow! Ow! Lawk a floury me!
JACK. Jobbins is somewhere near Euston. (_Gives telegram to STELLA._)
JACK. The detective who’s gone after you to bring you back.
STELLA (_reading telegram_). “Have taken a cab, he’s still running.” What will happen if Mr. Jobbins catches it?
JACK. Another telegram! (_Going up to D. in F._)
(_MRS. ANDERSON hands in a telegram and retires._)
(_Coming down, reading:_) “He has smashed some more windows, and is still running.”
STELLA (_taking the telegram_). More windows!
JACK. “He has just climbed a tall chimney stack marked Bovril, and is now sitting on the top.”
JACK. “Marked Bovril,” is this to be your fate, alas, my poor brother!
WALTER (_snatches the wire and reads_). “They are fetching a fire escape. He keeps yowling.”
WALTER. Suppose the police get him and think it’s me, I’ll be blamed for all this damned thing. We must catch him. We’ll buy a gag and handcuffs as we go along.
WALTER. Because he’s yowling! Stop! Stella must stay in case Mrs. Everest comes. (_Calls._) Mrs. Anderson! I want a cab!
STELLA. I’m so excited I think I’ll play the piano in the other room.
(_Exit R. to drawing-room and immediately plays and sings “Caressante.”_)
(_AUTOMATON enters D. in F., in black frock-coat, but now hatless, goes to cupboard, paws at the door, goes and knocks over chair, then to table up L. and takes up a tumbler, brings it down mechanically to front C., half raises it, then lets it fall on the floor and sits by table R., facing audience and says:_)
(_MRS. ANDERSON enters D. in F. with a black frock-coat in tailor’s parcel, places it on table R. top end, then sees AUTOMATON and comes out C., to speak._)
MRS. ANDERSON. Oh, he’s there, are he? (_Using handkerchief as she speaks._)
MRS. ANDERSON. There’s a parcel from the tailoring folks with a message hopering as it were in time.
AUTOMATON. Yow-Yow. (_She starts a little._)
MRS. ANDERSON. The pore young lady is a-sittering in there.
AUTOMATON. Tick-tick. Yow-yow! (_Same business._)
MRS. ANDERSON. Ain’t you in good ’ealth, Mr. Everest, sir?