Delafield cares nothing for the ruins and historical treasures
of the Eternal City, but he is mightily interested in being
near Muriel, and he leaves the house prepared to accept this
invitation.
As he comes down the steps of his house to enter his car,
an old blind man, led by a little dog on a cord, shuffles
along and collides with him. Delafield steps back, pushing the
man from him, who, as if fearing a blow, raises his arms to
guard against it and then hurries on, while Delafield, sneering
as he watches him, steps into his car and drives off.
At the Trevor's, he is shown into the library, where Muriel
and her father are sitting in earnest conversation. They rise to
greet him, the professor shaking his hand warmly. When Muriel
goes to him, Delafield takes her left hand in his (close-up),
and with his right index finger touches the engagement ring
on her finger and then points to himself, thus indicating that
he already looks upon her as his property, albeit he plainly
shows his genuine regard for her. She presently picks up the
book to which she and her father have been referring before
Delafield's entrance and shows it to him, saying:
"FATHER AND I HAVE BEEN DISCUSSING THE THEORY OF REINCARNATION"
At which Delafield smiles good-naturedly, but plainly shows that
he considers the theory so much rubbish, answering:
"WHILE I'M ALIVE, THAT SORT OF THING DOESN'T INTEREST ME; AND WHEN
I'M DEAD, IT WON'T MATTER"
The professor is plainly disappointed by this speech, but he
passes it off with a smile, answering:
"ONE HAS TO DIE, MY DEAR FELLOW, TO FIND OUT THAT IT _DOES_ MATTER"
The truth of which remark is not apparent to Delafield until
some time later.
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