MRS. STIDULPH.

Fancy those two girls walking into a room before _us_! [_Discovering the fan upon the floor._] Oh, I do believe that's my fan!

[_VON RETTENMAYER restores the fan to MRS. STIDULPH as ROPER and GABRIELLE enter at the door on the left._

GABRIELLE.

[_To ROPER, in a low, complaining voice._] It's a shame of you; that's what it is. You went and put Lily Parradell into rubber and enabled _her_ to make a bit. She told us so.

ROPER.

Yes; but how long ago?

GABRIELLE.

That's not the point. The point is, it's always Lily Parradell with you; you never do anything for us other girls.

[_She sits upon the nearer settee in the centre and she and ROPER, he standing by her, continue their conversation._

MRS. STIDULPH.

[_To VON RETTENMAYER._] No, thanks; I'm on a diet. Didn't you notice me at supper? [_Moving to the settee on the right._] Let's sit. [_To STIDULPH._] Oh, get up. [_STIDULPH rises quickly._] Why aren't you dancing? If you don't dance, go home and put yourself to bed. You might, for all the good you're doing here.

STIDULPH.

[_With a forced, painful laugh._] Ha, ha! Ha, ha, ha!

VON RETTENMAYER.

[_As MRS. STIDULPH seats herself._] Blenty of room for you too, Golonel.

STIDULPH.

No, no; I won't inconvenience you.

[_He moves away and VON RETTENMAYER sits beside MRS. STIDULPH. The waiter who has previously gone out now returns at the door on the left with a tray of ices in paper cases. He goes to the counter for a supply of ice-spoons as FARNCOMBE enters with LILY at the right-hand door at the back. Her cheeks are flushed, her eyes sparkling._

ROPER.

[_All his attention suddenly directed to LILY and FARNCOMBE._] Here's Lil!

LILY.

[_Excitedly, seizing STIDULPH'S hand._] You're not dancing, Colonel Stidulph. [_Showing him her programme._] Dance with me. I'll make one of the others give up a dance for you.

STIDULPH.

[_Going to the counter._] No, no; I'm too old.

LILY.

Too old for dancing! I shall never be too old for dancing. [_Coming to the nearer settee in the centre, picking up her bouquet, and sitting beside GABRIELLE._] Ah-h-h-h!

ROPER.

[_To FARNCOMBE, who follows LILY._] Hul-lo! [_Beaming._] Jolly party, hey, Farncombe?

FARNCOMBE.

[_Boyishly._] Lovely! [_To LILY._] May I bring you some lemonade-- an ice----?

LILY.

[_Looking up at him._] You may keep on bringing me ices till the music starts again. [_FARNCOMBE leaves her._] Gabby, wasn't that waltz delicious!

[_PALK and SYBIL enter at the door on the left. SYBIL seats herself beside NITA on the fender-stool and PALK fetches her some refreshment._

GABRIELLE.

[_To LILY, drearily._] I say, Lil.

LILY.

What?

GABRIELLE.

How much did you make out of rubber last year through Lal?

LILY.

Rubber, rubber, rubber? Br-r-r-rh! I don't know. [_To ROPER._] How much?

ROPER.

Four-fifty.

GABRIELLE.

There!

LILY.

I did my house up with it-- gave the job to young Charlie Ramsden who's gone in for decorating----

ROPER.

Yes, and blued the whole lot at one go!