Mrs.  Prout  [after  consulting  it].  I  tliougllt  I
could  not  be  mistaken.  Christine,  you  have  ren-
dered me  a  service  [regarding  her  affectionately]
—  a  service  for  which  I  shall  not  forget  to  express
my  gratitude ;  but  I  am  obliged  to  dismiss  you  in-
stantly from  my  service.
Christine.     Dismiss  me,  madam?


THE  STErMOTHER  31

Gardner.     Cora,  can  you  be  so  cruel?

Mrs,  Prout.  Alas,  yes !  She  has  sinned  tlie
secretarial  sin  which  is  beyond  forgiveness.  She
has  misspelt.
Gardner.     Impossible !

Mrs.  Frout.     It  is  too  true.
Gardner.     Tell  me  the  sad  details.
Mrs.  Frout.  She  has  been  guilty  of  spelling
"  No  »  with  a  "  Y."

Gardner.  Dear  me !  And  a  word  of  one  sylla-
ble, too !  INIIss  Feversham,  I  should  not  have
thought  it  of  you.      [Enter  Adrian.l^

Adrian  [«s  he  hands  a  cheque  for  Mrs.  Froufs
inspection^.     Here  again,  Doctor.''

Gardner.     Yes,  and  to  stay.
Mrs.  Frout.  Adrian,  the  Doctor  and  I  are  en-
gaged to  be  married.  And  talking  of  marriage,
you  observe  that  girl  there  in  the  corner.  Take
her  and  marry  her  at  the  earliest  convenient  mo-
ment.    She  is  no  longer  my  secretary.
Adrian.     What!     You  consent?

Mrs.  Frout.     I  consent.
Adrian.     And  you  pardon  my  article?

Mrs.  Frout.  No,  my  dear  Adrian,  I  ignore  it.
Here,  take  your  ill-gotten  gains  [returning
cheque^.  They  will  bring  you  no  good.  And
since  they  will  bring  you  no  good,  I  have  decided
to  allow  you  the  sum  of  five  hundred  pounds  a  year.
You  must  have  something.
32  THE  STEPMOTHER

Adrian.     Stepmother!

Christine  [^advancing  to  taJce  Mrs.  ProuVs
hand,] .     Stepmother-in-law !

Gardner.     Cora,  you  are  an  angel.
Mrs.  Prout.  J\Ierely  an  artist,  my  clear  Tom,
merely  an  artist.  I  have  the  dramatic  sense  —
that  is  all.
