WALTER.] Here, you, have you written? [_He looks over_ WALTER'S
_shoulder._] Go on--I'm getting impatient. Go on, I tell you.
I--am--taking--the--

[WALTER _is slowly writing down the words,_ HECTOR _standing over
him;_ BETTY _suddenly bursts into a peal of wild, uproarious
laughter, and lets herself fall into a chair to the left of the
card-table._

HECTOR. [_Madly._] You!

[_He leaves_ WALTER, _and almost springs at her._

BETTY. [_Brimming with merriment._] Oh, you old donkey! _How_ we have
pulled your leg!

HECTOR. [_Staring at her, stopping dead short._] You--

BETTY. [_Through her laughter, choking._] Hector, Hector! Conventional
situations! The usual stodge! The lover and husband! You goose, you
wonderful old goose!

[WALTER, _with a mighty effort, has pulled himself together, and
roars with laughter too. He jumps up._ HECTOR _is standing there
blinking, paralysed._

WALTER. [_Merrily, to_ BETTY.] Oh really, you shouldn't. You've given it
away too soon!

BETTY. Too soon! He'd have strangled us. Did you ever see such a tiger?