coarse-fibred and patronisingly facetious but not bad-hearted
man, spoiled by prosperity._]

MENDEL
Won't you be seated?

VERA
First let me introduce my friend, who is good enough to interest himself
in your nephew--Mr. Quincy Davenport.

MENDEL [_Struck of a heap_]
Mr. Quincy Davenport! How strange!

VERA
What is strange?

MENDEL
David just mentioned Mr. Davenport's name--said they travelled to New
York on the same boat.

QUINCY
Impossible! Always travel on my own yacht. Slow but select. Must have
been another man of the same name--my dad. Ha! Ha! Ha!

MENDEL
Ah, of course. I thought you were too young.

QUINCY
My dad, Miss Revendal, is one of those antiquated Americans who are
always in a hurry!

VERA
He burns coal and you burn time.

QUINCY
Precisely! Ha! Ha! Ha!

MENDEL
Won't you sit down--I'll go and prepare David.

VERA [_Sitting_]
You've not prepared him yet?

MENDEL
I've tried to more than once--but I never really got to----
[_He smiles_]
to Germany.
[_QUINCY sits._]

VERA
Then prepare him for _three_ visitors.

MENDEL
Three?

VERA
You see Mr. Davenport himself is no judge of music.

QUINCY [_Jumps up_]
I beg your pardon.

VERA
In manuscript.

QUINCY
Ah, of course not. Music should be heard, not seen--like that jolly jig.
Is that your David?

MENDEL
Oh, you mustn't judge him by that. He's just fooling.

QUINCY
Oh, he'd better not fool with Poppy. Poppy's awful severe.

MENDEL
Poppy?

QUINCY
Pappelmeister--my private orchestra conductor.

MENDEL
Is it _your_ orchestra Pappelmeister conducts?

QUINCY
Well, I pay the piper--and the drummer too!
[_He chuckles._]

MENDEL [_Sadly_]
_I_ wanted to play in it, but he turned me down.

QUINCY
I told you he was awful severe.
[_To VERA_]
He only allows me comic opera once a week. My wife calls him the
Bismarck of the baton.

MENDEL [_Reverently_]
A great conductor!

QUINCY
Would he have a twenty-thousand-dollar job with me if he wasn't? Not
that he'd get half that in the open market--only I have to stick it on
to keep him for my guests exclusively.
[_Looks at watch._]
But he ought to be here, confound him. A conductor should keep time, eh,
Miss Revendal?
[_He sniggers._]

MENDEL
I'll bring David. Won't you help yourselves to tea?
[_To VERA_]
You see there's lemon for you--as in Russia.
[_Exit to kitchen--a moment afterwards the merry music stops in