GABRIELLE.

[_Coming to LILY and kissing her._] So long, dear.

[_ENID, DAPHNE, and JIMMIE also come to LILY, who embraces them demonstratively, and the men follow._

LILY.

[_To the girls._] Ta-ta; ta-ta; ta-ta! I won't come down.

ENID.

No, no; we'll let ourselves out. [_Leaving LILY._] Till to-night!

LILY.

Till to-night! [_Shaking hands with the men._] Ta-ta; ta-ta; ta-ta!

THE MEN.

Ta-ta! Ta-ta! Ta-ta!

VON RETTENMAYER.

[_Kissing her hand slyly._] G.o.ddess!

LILY.

[_To BLAND, in a whisper._] Take care of Bertie. [_Everybody moves to the door, except LILY who remains standing in the middle of the room.

Some are on the landing, some in the doorway, when she calls to ROPER and JIMMIE._] Uncle Lal! Jimmie! I want to speak to you two for a second. [_ROPER and JIMMIE detach themselves from the rest and return._] Oh-- and Lord Farncombe! [_FARNCOMBE also returns and LILY, pa.s.sing him, goes on to the landing and mixes with the others._] Be off; Lord Farncombe and Lal will look after Jimmie. Vincent, _you_ close the front-door. No noise! Au revoir, mes enfants! [_She watches them descend the stairs and, her manner softening, comes back into the room._] Lord Farncombe wants to have a quiet talk with me, Uncle Lal-- about-- about something, and he's asked me to let him remain behind with Jimmie for a few minutes. [_To JIMMIE._] But there's no necessity for you to wait, dear.

JIMMIE.

Don't consider me.

LILY.

But I do. Go upstairs and tell mother that Lord Farncombe's with me.

Say I promise he shan't stay long. [_To ROPER._] You'll take Jimmie home, won't you, Lal?

ROPER.

[_His eyes bolting._] W-w-with pleasure.

LILY.

[_To JIMMIE._] I shall see you again later in the day, perhaps?

JIMMIE.

Rather! [_Throwing her arms round LILY'S neck and pressing her cheek to LILY'S._] Rather! [_To ROPER, significantly._] Sit in the hall till I'm ready.

[_She runs out on to the landing, pausing at the door to bestow a parting nod and a smile upon FARNCOMBE, and ascends the stairs._

ROPER.

[_In a state of great excitement and exhilaration-- to LILY._] Yes, yes, I won't keep you and-- [_winking at her and jerking his head in FARNCOMBE'S direction_] from your _tete-a-tete_. [_Patting her face gleefully._] Ha, ha, ha, ha! [_Taking her hand, his own quivering._]

Lil, Uncle Lal you call me, but I've always felt more like a parent towards you-- acted as such, hey?

LILY.

Y-y-yes, Lal.

ROPER.

And any happiness that befalls you-- any happiness that befalls you-- [_choking_] I'll leave it there. G.o.d bless yer; G.o.d bless yer!

[_bustling over to FARNCOMBE who, his hat in his hand, his overcoat on his arm, is standing near the piano_] and G.o.d bless _you_, my lad!

[_incoherently_] I'm proud-- proud to have the honour-- and to have been the means of-- the means of-- [_wringing FARNCOMBE'S hand_] G.o.d bless you both! [_He goes to the door and there finds LILY._] I-- I-- I-- I'll drop in by-and-by and-- and-- and inquire after you, my pet.

LILY.

[_Faintly._] All right, Lal.

ROPER.

[_Patting her face again._] Ha, ha, ha, ha! [_With a hop._] Wurrr-roo!

Stand away from the lift; no more pa.s.sengers this journey!

[_He waves to FARNCOMBE gaily and departs, closing the door. There is a short silence and then FARNCOMBE places his hat and overcoat upon the chair by the piano and turns to LILY._

FARNCOMBE.

[_In a low voice._] It's awfully kind and gracious of you to have granted my request, and frightfully selfish of me to have made it.

I deserve to be kicked.

LILY.

[_Slowly advancing to the table in the centre-- avoiding his gaze._]

Is-- is Jimmie aware of precisely what's in your note?

FARNCOMBE.

Y-y-yes. [_Drawing nearer to her._] I hope you won't be angry with me for confiding in her. You see, I-- I----

LILY.

[_At the further side of the table, fingering one of the objects upon it._] And _she'll_ confide in Uncle Lal. [_Shrugging her shoulders._]

Oh, but dear old Lal appears to have summed up the situation pretty accurately as it is. [_With an artificial little laugh._] Ha, ha, ha!

Well, I'm afraid they'll be horribly disappointed, poor wretches.