Sir Charles playfully
insisted, and Mrs. Woffington was beginning to be a little at a loss,
when suddenly voices were heard upon the stairs.
_"My husband!"_ cried the false Mrs. Vane, and in a moment she rose and
darted into Triplet's inner apartment.
Mr. Vane and Mr. Triplet were talking earnestly as they came up the
stair. It seems the wise Triplet had prepared a little dramatic scene for
his own refreshment, as well as for the ultimate benefit of all parties.
He had persuaded Mr. Vane to accompany him by warm, mysterious promises
of a happy _denouement;_ and now, having conducted that gentleman as far
as his door, he was heard to say:
"And now, sir, you shall see one who waits to forget grief,
suspicion--all, in your arms. Behold!" and here he flung the door open.
"The devil!"
"You flatter me!" said Pomander, who had had time to recover his
_aplomb,_ somewhat shaken, at first, by Mr. Vane's inopportune arrival.
Now it is to be observed that Mr. Vane had not long ago seen his wife
lying on her bed, to all appearance incapable of motion.
Mr. Vane, before Triplet could recover his surprise, inquired of Pomander
why he had sent for him. "And what," added he, "is the grief, suspicion,
I am, according to Mr. Triplet, to forget in your arms?"
Mr. Vane added this last sentence in rather a testy manner.
"Why, the fact is--" began Sir Charles, without the remotest idea of what
the fact was going to be.
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