m, flings her arms round his neck, and a
dry sob bursts from her._

WALTER. [_Very gently._] Betty, Betty, you've been so brave ... Betty,
dear, the horrid things I've said were only to make you angry, to make you
feel what a brute I was, how well you're rid of me. Oh, I'm not proud of
myself! But look here, we must be sensible--we must, really.... You know,
if you were divorced--if I were the co-respondent in a divorce case--I'd
lose my berth, get the sack--

BETTY. [_Clinging to him._] We could go to Australia--anywhere--

WALTER. I've no money.

BETTY. [_With a sudden movement, raising her head and leaving him._] And
Mary Gillingham has lots?

WALTER. It's not for her money that I--

BETTY. [_With a start._] You love her?

WALTER. [_Dropping his head, and speaking under his breath._] Yes.

BETTY. [_Wringing her hands._] You do, you do?

WALTER. Yes, that's the truth--I do. Oh, Betty I'm so frightfully
sorry--

BETTY. [_With a groan._] Then you don't love me any more ...

WALTER. It's not that. But you see--

BETTY. [_Moaning._] You don't, you don't!

[_She stands there, crushed, overwhelmed, dry-eyed, broken moans
escaping from her; suddenly she hears a key turning in the lock
of the hall-door outside, and rushes to the card-table._

BETTY. Hector! Quick, quick--the cards!

[WALTER _flies to the table, and sits by her side. He seizes one
pack and proceeds to shuffle it, she is dealing with the other.
All this takes only a second._ HECTOR _comes in--they both spring
up._

BETTY. Hector! You're not ill?

HECTOR. [_Kissing her._] Play postponed, my child--bit of luck! When I got
to the theatre I found that the actor-manager's car had collided with a
cab outside the stage-door--he was thrown through the window--there's a
magnificent exit for you! and has been cut about a bit. Nothing serious.
But the play's postponed for a week. Bit of luck!

WALTER. [_Sitting._] Not for him.

HECTOR. Oh _he_ has had luck enough--tons of it! I'll get into a
jacket--then we'll have some bridge. See what progress you've made, Betty!

[_He hurries out, and closes the door._

BETTY. [_Producing a little mirror from her bag, looking into it,
touching her hair._] We were only just in time.

WALTER. [_Eagerly, as he bends across the table._] You're splendid--you
are--splendid!

BETTY. Yes. All very nice and comfortable for you--isn't it? [_She puts
the mirror back into t