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＇He looks ruefully at the braces and at LADY ELLA。 A silence。
MAUD reappears at the door and stands gazing at the braces。＇
THE SQUIRE。 ＇Suddenly＇ Eh？
MAUD。 Yes。
THE SQUIRE。 ＇Looking at his wife＇ Ah！
LADY ELLA。 ＇Absorbed in EDWARD＇ Poor darling！
THE SQUIRE。 ＇Bluntly＇ Ella； the Rector wants to get up！
THE RECTOR。 ＇Gently＇ Perhapsjust for a moment
LADY ELLA。 Oh！ ＇She turns to the wall。＇
＇THE RECTOR； screened by his WIFE； retires on to the verandah to
adjust his garments。＇
THE SQUIRE。 ＇Meditating＇ So she's married！
LADY ELLA。 ＇Absorbed in EDWARD＇ Why？
THE SQUIRE。 Braces。
LADY ELLA。 Oh！ Yes。 We ought to ask them to dinner； Tommy。
THE SQUIRE。 Ah！ Yes。 Wonder who they are？
＇THE RECTOR and MAUD reappear。＇
THE RECTOR。 Really very good of her to lend her husband'sI was
erquite
MAUD。 That'll do； Bertie。
＇THEY see HER returning along the verandah； followed by a sandy；
red…faced gentleman in leather leggings； with a needle and
cotton in his hand。＇
HERSELF。 Caught the doctor just starting； So lucky！
LADY ELLA。 Oh！ Thank goodness！
DOCTOR。 How do； Lady Ella？ How do； Squire？ how do； Rector？ ＇To
MAUD＇ How de do？ This the beastie？ I see。 Quite！ Who'll hold him
for me？
LADY ELLA。 Oh！ I！
HERSELF。 D'you know； I think I'd better。 It's so dreadful when it's
your own； isn't it？ Shall we go in here； doctor？ Come along； pretty
boy！
＇She takes EDWARD； and they pass into the room； left。＇
LADY ELLA。 I dreaded it。 She is splendid！
THE SQUIRE。 Dogs take to her。 That's a sure sign。
THE RECTOR。 Little thingsone can always tell。
THE SQUIRE。 Something very attractive about herwhat！ Fine build
of woman。
MAUD。 I shall get hold of her for parish work。
THE RECTOR。 Ah！ Excellentexcellent！ Do！
THE SQUIRE。 Wonder if her husband shoots？ She seems
quite…erquite
LADY ELLA。 ＇Watching the door＇ Quite！ Altogether charming； one of
the nicest faces I ever saw。
＇THE DOCTOR comes out alone。＇
Oh！ Doctorhave you？ is it？
DOCTOR。 Right as rain！ She held him like an angelhe just licked
her； and never made a sound。
LADY ELLA。 Poor darling！ Can I
＇She signs toward the door。＇
DOCTOR。 Better leave 'em a minute。 She's moppin' 'im off。 ＇He
wrinkles his nose＇ Wonderful clever hands！
THE SQUIRE。 I saywho is she？
DOCTOR。 ＇Looking from face to face with a dubious and rather
quizzical expression＇ Who？ Wellthere you have me！ All I know is
she's a first…rate nursebeen helpin' me with a case in Ditch Lane。
Nice woman； toothorough good sort！ Quite an acquisition here。
H'm！ ＇Again that quizzical glance＇ Excuse me hurryin' offvery
late。 Good…bye； Rector。 Good…bye； Lady Ella。 Good…bye！
＇He goes。 A silence。＇
THE SQUIRE。 H'm！ I suppose we ought to be a bit careful。
＇JARVIS； flyman of the old school； has appeared on the
verandah。＇
JARVIS。 ＇To THE RECTOR＇ Beg pardon； sir。 Is the little dog all
right？
MAUD。 Yes。
JARVIS。 ＇Touching his hat＇ Seein' you've missed your train； m'm；
shall I wait； and take you 'ome again？
MAUD。 No。
JARVIS。 Cert'nly； m'm。 ＇He touches his hat with a circular gesture；
and is about to withdraw。＇
LADY ELLA。 Oh； Jarviswhat's the name of the people here？
JARVIS。 Challenger's the name I've driven 'em in； my lady。
THE SQUIRE。 Challenger？ Sounds like a hound。 What's he like？
JARVIS。 ＇Scratching his head＇ Wears a soft 'at； sir。
THE SQUIRE。 H'm！ Ah！
JARVIS。 Very nice gentleman； very nice lady。 'Elped me with my old
mare when she 'ad the 'ighsteria last weekcouldn't 'a' been kinder
if they'd 'a' been angels from 'eaven。 Wonderful fond o' dumb
animals； the two of 'em。 I don't pay no attention to gossip； meself。
MAUD。 Gossip？ What gossip？
JARVIS。 ＇Backing＇ Did I make use of the word； m'm？ You'll excuse
me； I'm sure。 There's always talk where there's newcomers。 I takes
people as I finds 'em。
THE RECTOR。 Yes； yes； Jarvisquitequite right！
JARVIS。 Yes； sir。 I'veI've got a 'abit that way at my time o'
life。
MAUD。 ＇Sharply＇ How long have they been here； Jarvis？
JARVIS。 Well…era matter of three weeks； m'm。
＇A slight involuntary stir。＇
＇Apologetic＇ Of course； in my profession I can't afford to take
notice of whether there's the trifle of a ring between 'em； as the
sayin' is。 'Tisn't 'ardly my business like。
＇A silence。＇
LADY ELLA。 ＇Suddenly＇ Erthank you； Jarvis； you needn't wait。
JARVIS。 No； m'lady。 Your service； sirservice； m'm。
＇He goes。 A silence。＇
THE SQUIRE。 ＇Drawing a little closer＇ Three weeks？ I sayer
wasn't。 there a book？
THE RECTOR。 ＇Abstracted＇ Three weeks I certainly haven't seen
them in church。
MAUD。 A trifle of a ring！
LADY ELLA。 ＇Impulsively＇ Oh； bother！ I'm sure she's all right。
And if she isn't； I don't care。 She's been much too splendid。
THE SQUIRE。 Must think of the village。 Didn't quite like the
doctor's way of puttin' us off。
LADY ELLA。 The poor darling owes his life to her。
THE SQUIRE。 H'm！ Dash it！ Yes！ Can't forget the way she ran into
that stinkin' pond。
MAUD。 Had she a wedding…ring on？
＇They look at each other； but no one knows。＇
LADY ELLA。 Well； I'm not going to be ungrateful。
THE SQUIRE。 It'd be dashed awkwardmustn't take a false step； Ella。
THE RECTOR。 And I've got his braces！ ＇He puts his hand to his
waist。＇
MAUD。 ＇Warningly＇ Bertie！
THE SQUIRE。 That's all right； Rectorwe're goin' to be perfectly
polite； andandthank her； and all that。
LADY ELLA。 We can see she's a good sort。 What does it matter？
MAUD。 My dear Ella！ 〃What does it matter！〃 We've got to know。
THE RECTOR。 We do want light。
THE SQUIRE。 I'll ring the bell。 ＇He rings。＇
＇They look at each other aghast。＇
LADY ELLA。 What did you ring for； Tommy？
THE SQUIRE。 ＇Flabbergasted＇ God knows！
MAUD。 Somebody'll come。
THE SQUIRE。 Rectoryouyou've got to
MAUD。 Yes； Bertie。
THE RECTOR。 Dear me！ Buterwhater How？
THE SQUIRE。 ＇Deeply…to himself＇ The whole thing's damn delicate。
＇The door right is opened and a MAID appears。 She is a
determined…looking female。 They face her in silence。＇
THE RECTOR。 Ereryour master is not in？
THE MAID。 No。 'E's gone up to London。
THE RECTOR。 Er Mr Challenger； I think？
THE MAID。 Yes。
THE RECTOR。 Yes！ Er quite so
THE MAID。 ＇Eyeing them＇ D'you wantMrs Challenger？
THE RECTOR。 Ah！ Not precisely
THE SQUIRE。 ＇To him in a low； determined voice＇ Go on。
THE RECTOR。 ＇Desperately＇ I asked because there was aaMr。
Challenger I used to know in the 'nineties； and I thoughtyou
wouldn't happen to know how long they've been married？ My friend
marr
THE MAID。 Three weeks。
THE RECTOR。 Quite soquite so！ I shall hope it will turn out to
be Erthank youHa！
LADY ELLA。 Our dog has been fighting with the Rector's； and Mrs
Challenger rescued him； she's bathing his ear。 We're waiting to
thank her。 You needn't
THE MAID。 ＇Eyeing them＇ No。
＇She turns and goes out。＇
THE SQUIRE。