ised at you to speak like that to Sir Denis.

DONAL
Sir Denis be damned, ma'am.

SIR DENIS (_as he rises to go and requests Lady Delahunty
to do likewise_)
Lady Delahunty, if you please.

[_A loud knocking is heard at the door. Kitty opens and
Constable Dunlea enters. As he stands by the door, he
takes a letter from his pocket._

CONSTABLE (_to Sir Denis_)
This is a message for you, sir, from the editor of the
_Examiner_. The postman couldn't find you at home
and asked me to deliver it, as he knew I was coming
here to-night.

[_Sir Denis excitedly opens the letter and Lady Delahunty
looks on with apparent satisfaction, as she thinks
it is a personal letter of congratulation for Sir Denis.
Sir Denis borrows Mrs. Corcoran's spectacles and reads
the letter hurriedly and looks very crestfallen._

LADY DELAHUNTY (_with a look of surprise_)
What's the matter, Sir Denis?

SIR DENIS
What isn't the matter would be a better question.
'Twas a mistake, Anastatia, a sad and sorry mistake!

LADY DELAHUNTY
What's a mistake?

SIR DENIS
Ourselves! I mean we weren't knighted at all. The
editor of the _Examiner_ sends his personal regrets and
apology for printin' an unofficial telegram that was
sent by some malicious person about myself being
created a baronet.

LADY DELAHUNTY (_grabs the letter and spectacles. Adjusts
the spectacles on her nose and reads. Swoons and
falls into Sir Denis's arms_)
The saints protect us all! 'Tis the truth, surely!

MRS. CORCORAN (_gets a glass of water and gives it to
Lady Delahunty_)
Here, now, take this, and you will be soon all right
again.

LADY DELAHUNTY (_as she recovers, turns to Kitty_)
I suppose 'twas at your instigation that all this happened.
You impudent, prevaricatin', philanderin'
galavanter. Now we will be the laughin' stock of
the whole country. If Sir Denis--

DONAL
Plain Denis, if you please, ma'am.

LADY DELAHUNTY (_to her husband_)
If you had only the good sense of refusin' the title
itself, but--

SIR DENIS
We'll never be able to live down the shame and disgrace
of it, Lady Delahunty.

DONAL
Plain Statia Delahunty, if you please.

LADY DELAHUNTY (_to Kitty_)
If you were worth the weight of yourself in gold and
could sing like a lark, I wouldn't give Finbarr to you
now.

KITTY
I never asked for him, ma'am. I told you all that I
would marry only my own man, and here he is.
(_Calls Constable Dunlea to her side and takes his arm_)
We are to be ma