The bell rings.  Mabel goes out to the door and her voice is heard
     saying coldly.

Mabel.  Will you wait a minute, please?  Returning.  It’s De Levis—­to see you. [In a low voice] Let me see him alone first.  Just for a minute!  Do!

Dancy. [After a moment’s silence] Go ahead!  He goes out into the bedroom.

Mabel. [Going to the door, Right] Come in.

     De Levis comes in, and stands embarrassed.

Yes?

De Levis. [With a slight bow] Your husband, Mrs Dancy?

Mabel.  He is in.  Why do you want to see him?

De Levis.  He came round to my rooms just now, when I was out.  He threatened me yesterday.  I don’t choose him to suppose I’m afraid of him.

Mabel. [With a great and manifest effort at self-control] Mr De Levis, you are robbing my husband of his good name.

De Levis. [Sincerely] I admire your trustfulness, Mrs Dancy.

Mabel. [Staring at him] How can you do it?  What do you want?  What’s your motive?  You can’t possibly believe that my husband is a thief!

De Levis.  Unfortunately.

Mabel.  How dare you?  How dare you?  Don’t you know that I was in our bedroom all the time with the door open?  Do you accuse me too?

De Levis.  No, Mrs Dancy.

Mabel.  But you do.  I must have seen, I must have heard.

De Levis.  A wife’s memory is not very good when her husband is in danger.

Mabel.  In other words, I’m lying.

De Levis.  No.  Your wish is mother to your thought, that’s all.

Mabel. [After staring again with a sort of horror, turns to get control of herself.  Then turning back to him] Mr De Levis, I appeal to you as a gentleman to behave to us as you would we should behave to you.  Withdraw this wicked charge, and write an apology that Ronald can show.

De Levis.  Mrs Dancy, I am not a gentleman, I am only a—­damned Jew.  Yesterday I might possibly have withdrawn to spare you.  But when my race is insulted I have nothing to say to your husband, but as he wishes to see me, I’ve come.  Please let him know.

Mabel. [Regarding him again with that look of horror—­slowly] I think what you are doing is too horrible for words.

De Levis gives her a slight bow, and as he does so Dancy comes quickly in, Left.  The two men stand with the length of the sofa between them.  Mabel, behind the sofa, turns her eyes on her husband, who has a paper in his right hand.

De Levis.  You came to see me.

Dancy.  Yes.  I want you to sign this.

De Levis.  I will sign nothing.