But the situation is only partially relieved.  True, the old husband is dead all right, but the Mardens’ marriage is still bigamous; they have been living all this time in what would be regarded in the eyes of Heaven (and, still worse, the county of Bucks) as sin.  However, a trifling formality at a registry-office can rectify this and nobody need be any the wiser.  This at least is Marden’s attitude, always free from any suspicion of complexity.  But his wife (if that is the word for her), being of a more subtle nature, determines to make profit out of the situation.  She points out to him that she is at present the widow Tellworthy and that she must be wooed all over again, and can only be won on her own terms.  These include a recognition of the niece’s engagement (has not the young artist an equal right with Marden to a speedy marriage with the woman of his choice?) and a concession to her taste in futuristic curtains.

[Illustration:  A DROPPER OF UNCONSIDERED TRIFLES.

Mr. Pim. Mr. DION BOUCICAULT.

Mrs Marden. Miss IRENE VANBRUGH.]

At this juncture Mr. Pim drifts in again to correct an error of memory.  The name of the gentleman who succumbed to the herring-bone was not Tellworthy (he must have got that name into his head through hearing it mentioned as that of Mrs. Marden’s first husband).  It was really Polwhistle—­either Henry or Ernest Polwhistle; he was not quite sure which.  Everything is thus restored to the status quo ante, except that Marden, in a spasm of generous reaction, feels himself morally bound to abide by the new conditions that his wife had laid down.

Mr. Pim only passes by once more to announce his settled conviction that Polwhistle’s Christian name was Ernest and not Henry.

It will be seen that the play is original in design; but it is also a true play of character revealed by circumstance.  Further—­and this is very rare—­it owes nothing to the adventitious aid of the costumier.  For the author’s observation of the unities is extended to include the matter of dress; he allows his people one costume each and no more.

Miss IRENE VANBRUGH played as if every one of her words had been made expressly for her, as, no doubt, they were.  I have never seen her so perfect in detail, in the poise of her head, in her least gesture and intonation, in her swift changes of mood; never so quietly mistress of the finesse of her art.

As Marden, Mr. BEN WEBSTER was a little restless in a part for which he was not constitutionally suited, but played with the greatest courage and sincerity.  Mr. DION BOUCICAULT’S study of Mr. Pim was extraordinarily effective; and the way in which he made the attenuated pipings of this futile old gentleman carry like the notes of a bell was in itself a remarkable feat.

These three were given great chances, full of colour.  But in the part of Brian Strange, the boy-lover, by its nature relatively colourless, Mr. LESLIE HOWARD was hardly less good.  He never made anything like a mistake of manner.  I wish I could say the same of his flapper.  But Miss COHAN asserted her good spirits a little too boisterously for the picture.