Canynge.  Winsor!  Dancy’s sleeve was damp.

Winsor.  How d’you mean?

Canynge.  Quite damp.  It’s been raining.

     The two look at each other.

Winsor.  I—­I don’t follow—­ [His voice is hesitative and lower, showing that he does].

Canynge.  It was coming down hard; a minute out in it would have been enough—­[He motions with his chin towards the balcony].

Winsor. [Hastily] He must have been out on his balcony since.

Canynge.  It stopped before I came up, half an hour ago.

Winsor.  He’s been leaning on the wet stone, then.

Canynge.  With the outside of the upper part of the arm?

Winsor.  Against the wall, perhaps.  There may be a dozen explanations. [Very low and with great concentration] I entirely and absolutely refuse to believe anything of the sort against Ronald Dancy in my house.  Dash it, General, we must do as we’d be done by.  It hits us all—­it hits us all.  The thing’s intolerable.

Canynge.  I agree.  Intolerable. [Raising his voice] Mr De Levis!

De Levis returns into view, in the centre of the open window.

Canynge. [With cold decision] Young Dancy was an officer and is a gentleman; this insinuation is pure supposition, and you must not make it.  Do you understand me?

De Levis.  My tongue is still mine, General, if my money isn’t!

Canynge. [Unmoved] Must not.  You’re a member of three Clubs, you want to be member of a fourth.  No one who makes such an insinuation against a fellow-guest in a country house, except on absolute proof, can do so without complete ostracism.  Have we your word to say nothing?

De Levis.  Social blackmail?  H’m!

Canynge.  Not at all—­simple warning.  If you consider it necessary in your interests to start this scandal-no matter how, we shall consider it necessary in ours to dissociate ourselves completely from one who so recklessly disregards the unwritten code.

De Levis.  Do you think your code applies to me?  Do you, General?

Canynge.  To anyone who aspires to be a gentleman, Sir.

De Levis.  Ah!  But you haven’t known me since I was a boy.

Canynge.  Make up your mind.

     A pause.

De Levis.  I’m not a fool, General.  I know perfectly well that you can get me outed.

Canynge. [Icily] Well?

De Levis. [Sullenly] I’ll say nothing about it, unless I get more proof.

Canynge.  Good!  We have implicit faith in Dancy.

There is a moment’s encounter of eyes; the general’s steady, shrewd, impassive; Winsor’s angry and defiant; de LEVIS’s mocking, a little triumphant, malicious.  Then Canynge and Winsor go to the door, and pass out.

De Levis. [To himself] Rats!