Auntie, do leave us, won't you?
COMTESSE. Not I. It is becoming far too interesting.
MAGGIE. I suppose there's no reason the Comtesse shouldn't be told,
as she will know so soon at any rate?
JOHN. That's so. [SYBIL sees with discomfort that he is to be
practical also.]
MAGGIE. It's so simple. You see, Comtesse, John and Lady Sybil have
fallen in love with one another, and they are to go off as soon as
the meeting at Leeds has taken place.
[The COMTESSE's breast is too suddenly introduced to Caledonia and
its varied charms.]
COMTESSE. Mon Dieu!
MAGGIE. I think that's putting it correctly, John.
JOHN. In a sense. But I'm not to attend the meeting at Leeds. My
speech doesn't find favour. [With a strange humility] There's
something wrong with it.
COMTESSE. I never expected to hear you say that, Mr. Shand.
JOHN [wondering also]. I never expected it myself. I meant to make it
the speech of my career. But somehow my hand seems to have lost its
cunning.
COMTESSE. And you don't know how?
JOHN. It's inexplicable. My brain was never clearer.
COMTESSE. You might have helped him, Sybil.
SYBIL [quite sulkily]. I did.
COMTESSE. But I thought she was such an inspiration to you, Mr.
Shand.
JOHN [going bravely to SYBIL'S side]. She slaved at it with me.
COMTESSE. Strange. [Wickedly becoming practical also] So now there is
nothing to detain you.
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