ALMERIC.  Ah, Governor; see you’re moving!

HAWCASTLE.  I may.

[His manner is nervous, apprehensive, and wary.  Porter touches his cap and goes into hotel.]

It depends.

ALMERIC.  Depends?  Madame de Champigny took the morning boat to Naples, and your trunks are gone.  Shouldn’t say that looked much like dependin’.

HAWCASTLE [nervously].  It does, though, with that devilish convict—­

ALMERIC.  Oh, but I say, Governor, you’re not in a funk about him!  You could bowl him over with a finger.

HAWCASTLE [glancing over his shoulder].  Not if he had what he didn’t have last night, or I shouldn’t be here to-day.

ALMERIC.  You don’t think the beggar’d be taking a shot at you?

HAWCASTLE [fastening clasp of hat-box].  I don’t know what the crazy fool mightn’t do.

ALMERIC.  But, you know, he’s really quite as much in custody as you could wish.  That Vasilivitch chap has got him fast enough.

[LADY CREECH enters from the hotel.]

HAWCASTLE [sharply].  The Grand-Duke Vasili has the reputation of being a romantic fool.  I don’t know what moment he may decide to let Ivanoff loose.

LADY CREECH [with triumphant indignation].  Then I have the advantage over you, Hawcastle.  He’s just done it.

HAWCASTLE [startled].  What?

LADY CREECH [continuing].  Got him a pardon from Russia by telegraph.

HAWCASTLE.  You don’t mean that!

LADY CREECH.  Ethel has just told me.

HAWCASTLE.  My God!

[He springs forward and touches a bell on wall.]

LADY CREECH.  An outrage!  Our plans all so horribly upset—­

HAWCASTLE [turning and coming down steps].  No, they’re not.

[MARIANO appears in the doorway.]

HAWCASTLE.  Mariano, I’m off for Naples.  Sharp’s the word!

MARIANO.  It is too late for the boat, Milor’.  You must drive to
Castellamare for the train.

HAWCASTLE.  There’s a carriage waiting for me at the gate yonder.  Get these things into it quick—­quick!

[MARIANO beckons porters from the hotel.  Porters enter sharply and carry bags, etc., off.]

[Meanwhile, HAWCASTLE, without pause, continues rapidly and in an excited voice to ALMERIC and LADY CREECH.]

You must see it through; you mustn’t let the thing fail; what’s more, you’ve got to hurry it, just as if I were here.  This girl gave her word last night that she’d stick.

LADY CREECH.  But she’s behaving very peculiarly this morning.  Outrageously would be nearer it.

HAWCASTLE.  How?

LADY CREECH.  Shedding tears over this Ivanoff’s story.  What’s more, she has sent that dreadful Pike person to him with assistance.

HAWCASTLE.  What sort of assistance?

LADY CREECH.  Money.  I don’t know how much, but I’m sure it was a lot.

ALMERIC [with a sudden inspiration].  By Jove!  Buying the beggar off, perhaps, to keep him from making a scandal for us.