Nirad Das and Coomaraswami are sitting on Flora’s verandah. It is evening, nearly dark. They have not lit the lamp. A car is heard delivering Flora back to the guesthouse. Possibly the sweep of the headlights shows Das and Coomaraswami rising to greet Flora. She approaches the verandah, dark again, not seeing them and is startled.

FLORA Oh, Mr Das!

DAS Good evening, Miss Crewe! I’m sorry if we frightened you.

FLORA And Mr Coomaraswami!

COOMARASWAMI Yes, it is me, Miss Crewe.

FLORA Good evening. What a surprise.

COOMARASWAMI I assure you—I beg you—we have not come to presume on your hospitality—

FLORA I wish I had some whisky to offer you, but will you come inside.

COOMARASWAMI It will be cooler for you to remain on the verandah.

FLORA Let me find Nazrul.

COOMARASWAMI He is not here, evidently. But perhaps now that the mistress has returned it is permitted to light the lamp?

FLORA Yes, of course.

COOMARASWAMI So much more pleasant than sitting in the electric light.

Coomaraswami lights the oil lamp.

There we are. And the moon will clear the house-tops in a few minutes …

FLORA Please sit down.

COOMARASWAMI May I take this chair?

FLORA No, that’s Mr Das’s chair. And this is mine. So that leaves you with the sofa.

COOMARASWAMI (Sitting down) Oh yes, very comfortable. Thank you, Miss Crewe. Mr Das told me that I was exceeding our rights of acquaintance with you in coming to see you without proper arrangement, and even more so to lie in wait for you like mulaquatis. If it is so, he is blameless. Please direct your displeasure to me.

DAS Miss Crewe does not understand mulaquatis.

COOMARASWAMI Petitioners!

FLORA In this house you are always friends.

COOMARASWAMI Mr Das, what did I tell you!

FLORA But what can I do for you?

DAS Nothing at all! We require nothing!

FLORA Oh …

COOMARASWAMI Have you had a pleasant day, Miss Crewe?

FLORA Extremely interesting. I have been visiting his Highness the Rajah.

COOMARASWAMI My goodness!

FLORA I believe you knew that, Mr Coomaraswami.

COOMARASWAMI Oh, you have found me out!

FLORA He showed me his cars … and we had an interesting conversation, about art …

COOMARASWAMI And poetry, of course.

FLORA And politics.

COOMARASWAMI Politics, yes. I hope, we both hope—that your association with, that our association with, in fact—if you thought for a moment that I personally would have knowingly brought upon you, compromised you, by association with—

FLORA Stop, stop. Mr Das, I am going to ask you. What is the matter?

DAS The matter?

FLORA I shall be absolutely furious in a moment.

DAS Yes, yes, quite so. My friend Coomaraswami, speaking as President of the Theosophical Society, wishes to say that if His Highness reproached you or engaged you in any unwelcome conversation regarding your connection with the Society, he feels responsible, and yet at the same time wishes you to know that—

FLORA His Highness never mentioned the Theosophical Society.