The Cabinet Minister Part 47

EARL OF DRUMDURRIS.

My son.

[ANGeLE appears with the infant.]

ANGeLE.

[Mysteriously.] Is it alright, milord?

EARL OF DRUMDURRIS.

Hush! [To LADY TWOMBLEY.] Is Egidia there?

[SIR JULIAN and LADY EUPHEMIA re-enter.]

LADY TWOMBLEY.

No.

[LADY TWOMBLEY joins SIR JULIAN and LADY EUPHEMIA.]

EARL OF DRUMDURRIS.

[To ANGeLE.] All right. [Fondly to the infant.] My soldier boy! [ANGeLE advances to DRUMDURRIS. He produces a small toy gun and a little drum from a box he carries and hands them to ANGeLE.] Don't let Lady Drumdurris discover these.

ANGeLE.

No.

EARL OF DRUMDURRIS.

Above all, let the drum be m.u.f.fled.

ANGeLE.

Yees, milord.

[EGIDIA enters.]

EARL OF DRUMDURRIS.

I expect some small cannon by the evening post. Go.

[EGIDIA comes between ANGeLE and DRUMDURRIS, the DOWAGER following.]

EARL OF DRUMDURRIS.

Ah!

ANGeLE.

Oh, miladi!

EGIDIA.

I am right, then.

[She takes the toys from ANGeLE and points to the door. ANGeLE withdraws with the infant.]

DOWAGER.

Keith--Egidia! Don't disagree here!

EGIDIA.

[To DRUMDURRIS.] I was loth to credit you with such treachery.

DOWAGER.

Name some convenient hour to disagree this afternoon. I will willingly be present.

EGIDIA.

I have long suspected this conspiracy to antic.i.p.ate my son's mature judgment. Keith, there is a gulf between us which can never be bridged over.

[EGIDIA joins the others.]

EARL OF DRUMDURRIS.

Mother, my life is wasted.

[VALENTINE, roughly dressed in cords and gaiters, enters, followed by BROOKE.]

VALENTINE WHITE.

Are you ready, Lord Drumdurris?

EARL OF DRUMDURRIS.

We are waiting, I presume, for Mr. Lebanon.

BROOKE TWOMBLEY.

I'll go and stir him up. Ugh! What!

[BROOKE goes out.]

EARL OF DRUMDURRIS.