KENT. Does it work?
TREBELL. [_Slamming down the receiver._] You and your new toy! What is it?
KENT. I'm not sure about the plugs of it ... I thought I'd got them wrong.
Mrs. O'Connell has come to see Miss Trebell, who is out, and she says will
we ask you if any message has been left for her.
TREBELL. No. Oh, about dinner? Well, she's round at Mrs. Farrant's.
KENT. I'll ring them up.
_He goes back into his room to do so leaving_ TREBELL'S _door open.
The two continue their talk._
TREBELL. My difficulties will be with Percival.
WEDGECROFT. Not over the Church.
TREBELL. You see I must discover how keen he'd be on settling the Education
quarrel, once and for all ... what there is left of it.
WEDGECROFT. He's not sectarian.
TREBELL. It'll cost him his surplus. When'll he be up and about?
WEDGECROFT. Not for a week or more.
TREBELL. [_Knitting his brow._] And I've to deal with Cantelupe. Curious
beggar, Gilbert.
WEDGECROFT. Not my sort. He'll want some dealing with over your bill as
introduced to me.
TREBELL. I've not cross-examined company promoters for ten years without
learning how to do business with a professional high churchman.
WEDGECROFT. Providence limited ... eh?
_They are interrupted by_ MRS. O'CONNELL'S _appearance in the doorway.
She is rather pale, very calm; but there is pain in her eyes and her
voice is unnaturally steady._
AMY. Your maid told me to come up and I'm interrupting business.... I
thought she was wrong.
TREBELL. [_With no trace of self-consciousness._] Well ... how are you,
after this long time?
AMY. How do you do? [_Then she sees_ WEDGECROFT _and has to control a
shrinking from him._] Oh!
WEDGECROFT. How are you, Mrs. O'Connell?
TREBELL. Kent is telephoning to Frances. He knows where she is.
AMY. How are you, Dr. Wedgecroft? [_then to_ TREBELL.] Did you have a good
holiday? London pulls one to pieces wretchedly. I shall give up living here
at all.
WEDGECROFT. You look very well.
AMY. Do I!
TREBELL. A very good holiday. Sit down ... he won't be a minute.
_She sits on the nearest chair._
AMY. You're not ill ... interviewing a doctor?
TREBELL. The one thing Wedgecroft's no good at is doctoring. He keeps me
well by sheer moral suasion.