ALICE, who somehow could do without Ginevra to-night, ‘Cosmo is waiting for you, Miss Dunbar, to see you home.’
GINEVRA, with a disquieting vision of her landlady, ‘I must go.’ She gives her hand in the coldest way to Mrs. Grey. Then, with a curtsey to Steve that he can surely never forget, ‘Mr. Rollo, I am sure there is much good in you. Darling Amy, I shall be round first thing in the morning.’
STEVE. ‘Now that she has gone, can we--have a talk?’
AMY, gently, ‘Mother, what was that you called him?’
ALICE. ‘Dear Amy, I forgot. Yes, Mr. Rollo.’
AMY. ‘This lady’s name, if I am not greatly mistaken, is Mrs. Grey. Is it not so, mother?’
STEVE. ‘As you will; but it is most important that I say certain things to her at once.’
ALICE. ‘Oh, Mr. Rollo. What do you think, dear?’
AMY, reflecting, ‘If it be clearly understood that this is good-bye, I consent. Please be as brief as possible.’
Somehow they think that she is moving to the door, but she crosses only to the other side of the room and sits down with a book. One of them likes this very much.
STEVE, who is not the one, ‘But I want to see her alone.’
AMY, the dearest of little gaolers, ‘That, I am afraid, I cannot permit. It is not that I have not perfect confidence in you, mother, but you must see I am acting wisely.’
STEVE, to his Alice, ‘What has come over you? You don’t seem to be the same woman.’
ALICE. ‘I see now only through Amy’s eyes.’
AMY. ‘They will not fail you, mother. Proceed, sir.’
STEVE. ‘You told him, then, about your feelings for me?’
ALICE, studying the carpet, ‘He knows now exactly what are my feelings for you.’
STEVE. ‘Poor old boy. I suppose he wishes me to stay away from your house now.’
ALICE. ‘Will it be terribly hard to you, St--Mr. Rollo?’
STEVE. ‘It isn’t that. You see I’m fond of the Colonel, I really am, and it hurts me to think he thinks that I--It wasn’t my fault, was it?’
ALICE. ‘He quite understands that it was I who lost my head.’
Steve is much moved by the generosity of this. He lowers his voice.
STEVE. ‘Of course I blame myself now; but I assure you honestly I had no idea of it until to-night. I had thought you were only my friend. It dazed me; but as I ransacked my mind many little things came back to me. I remembered what I hadn’t noticed at the time--’