Farren--but in justice to
her--

MRS. BANKET. But, Alice, she'll have gone out--you told her she might--

MRS. WESTERN. Only to her sister's close by--and she may not have gone
yet. Why don't they answer the bell? Ring again, Harvey.

JUDGE. The poor things are still searching.

HARVEY. [_Firmly._] Alice, I protest, I do indeed--

MRS. WESTERN. Don't be so foolishly sentimental--it's ridiculous at your
age. The young woman is in my employ, as governess to my children. [MARTIN
_comes in._] Has Miss Farren gone out yet?

MARTIN. No, madam. I believe she's in her room, dressing.

MRS. WESTERN. Ask her to come.

MARTIN. Yes, madam. [_He goes._

JUDGE. [_Shaking his head._] No sense of proportion, that's the
truth--they've no sense of proportion.

MRS. BANKET. Tom!

JUDGE. A fact, my dear--but you can't help it. You've every quality in the
world but just that--you _will_ always look through the wrong end of the
telescope.

MRS. BANKET. Really, Tom, this isn't the moment for your nonsense--and if
you only knew how stupid you are when you try to be funny!

HARVEY. [_Going nervously to_ MRS. WESTERN.] I say, I really do think--

MRS. WESTERN. [_Roughly._] I don't care _what_ you think. Leave me alone!

[_There is silence. The_ JUDGE, _sitting by the fire, whistles
loudly "Waltz me around again, Willie!"_ HARVEY _has gone moodily
across the room and stands by the sideboard._ MRS. BANKET _is
sitting behind the table. After a moment the door opens, and_
MISS FARREN _comes in, with hat and cloak on, and goes straight
to_ MRS. WESTERN. _She is an extremely pretty girl of twenty._

MISS FARREN. You want me, Mrs. Western?

MRS. WESTERN. Oh, Miss Farren, I've lost my bracelet.

MISS FARREN. Really! I'm so sorry! Where?

MRS. WESTERN. I don't know. You didn't see it, of course, after we'd gone?

MISS FARREN. [_Shaking her head._] No--and no one came in. I was writing
the letter to Harrod's.

MRS. WESTERN. No one at all?

MISS FARREN. No--I'm sure of that. And I'd hardly got to my room when I
heard the car come back.

MRS. WESTERN. Well, thank you, Miss Farren.

MISS FARREN. It's very annoying. You're sure it's not in the car?

JUDGE. My dear Miss Farren, it's not in the car, it's not anywhere, and
I'm beginning to believe it never was at all. Come, Alice, let's go. We
shan't see much of the play, but we can at least help the British drama by
buying two programmes.

MISS FAR