CARVE. Mr. Carve?...(Suddenly stops laughing.) Oh! (Lamely,
casually.) He's dead!

JANET. (Stocked.) Dead? When?

CARVE. Early this morning.

JANET. (Rising.) And us chattering away like this. Why didn't you tell
me at once, Mr. Shawn?

CARVE. I forgot for the moment. I wasn't thinking----

JANET. Forgot?

CARVE. (Simply and sincerely, but very upset.) Now, Mrs. Cannot, I
assure you I feel that man's death. I admit I had very little affection
for him--certainly not much respect--but we'd been together a long time,
and his death is a shock to me. Yes, really. But I've had to think so
much about my own case--and then a scene, a regular scene with Cyrus
Carve. And then you coming. The fact is----

JANET. (Sympathetically.) The fact is, you scarcely know what you're
doing, my poor Mr. Shawn. You're on wires, that's what's the matter with
you--hysteria. I know what it is as well as anybody. You'll excuse me
saying so, but you're no ordinary man. You're one of these highly-strung
people and you ought to take care of yourself. Well, I'll go now, and if
it's mutually agreeable we might perhaps meet again in a month's
time--say.