RINE. Have you stopped it?

SIR JOHN. What! He wouldn't be such a sublime donkey?

KATHERINE. I think that is just what he might be. [Going to the
window] We shall know soon.

[SIR JOHN, after staring at her, goes up to HUBERT.]

SIR JOHN. Keep a good heart, my boy. The country's first. [They
exchange a hand-squeeze.]

KATHERINE backs away from the window. STEEL has appeared there
from the terrace, breathless from running.

STEEL. Mr. More back?

KATHERINE. No. Has he spoken?

STEEL. Yes.

KATHERINE. Against?

STEEL. Yes.

SIR JOHN. What? After!

SIR, JOHN stands rigid, then turns and marches straight out into
the hall. At a sign from KATHERINE, HUBERT follows him.

KATHERINE. Yes, Mr. Steel?

STEEL. [Still breathless and agitated] We were here--he slipped
away from me somehow. He must have gone straight down to the House.
I ran over, but when I got in under the Gallery he was speaking
already. They expected something--I never heard it so still there.
He gripped them from the first word--deadly--every syllable. It got
some of those fellows. But all the time, under the silence you could
feel a--sort of--of--current going round. And then Sherratt--I think
it was--began it, and you saw the anger rising in them; but he kept
them down--his quietness! The feeling! I've never seen anything
like it there.

Then there was a whisper all over the House that fighting had begun.
And the whole thing broke out--regular riot--as if they could have
killed him. Some one tried to drag him down by the coat-tails, but
he shook him off, and went on. Then he stopped dead and walked out,
and the noise dropped like a stone. The whole thing didn't last five
minutes. It was fine, Mrs. More; like--like lava; he was the only
cool person there. I wouldn't have missed it for anything--it was
grand!

MORE has appeared on the terrace, behind STEEL.

KATHERINE. Good-night, Mr. Steel.

STEEL. [Startled] Oh!--Good-night!

He goes out into the hall. KATHERINE picks up OLIVE'S shoes,
and stands clasping them to her breast. MORE comes in.

KATHERINE. You've cleared your conscience, then! I didn't think
you'd hurt me so.

MORE does not answer, still living in the scene he has gone
through, and KATHERINE goes a little nearer to him.

KATHERINE. I'm with the country, heart and soul, Stephen. I warn
you.

While they stand in silence