, dearie; 'ere it is. An' _I'm_ 'ere too.

LILY.

[_Viewing herself in the mirror and running her hand over her hair._]
Oh, how horrid I look! [_JIMMIE goes to LILY with the two lengths of
ribbon and MAUD replaces the roll in the drawer._] Ring the bell.
[_JIMMIE hands LILY the garters, relieving her of the mirror, and MRS.
UPJOHN hastens to the fireplace and presses the bell-push
continuously._] That'll do, Maud; _you_ hook it.

MAUD.

[_Going to the bedroom door._] Ha, ha, ha! Ho, ho, ho! That's how I
like to hear her talk. Ha, ha, ha, ha!

[_MAUD vanishes into the bedroom, closing the door, and LILY, having
tied up her stockings, rises and comes to the settee._

MRS. UPJOHN.

[_Still pressing the bell-push._] _Now_ I don't believe I've rung.

LILY.

[_At the uttermost tension._] Ah, stop it, mother; stop it! [_Sitting
on the settee._] We're not calling the fire-brigade.

JIMMIE.

[_At the back of the settee, to LILY._] I'll wait in your bedroom till
the men have been shown up, and sneak out that way. [_Bending over
LILY._] Mind! If Nicko _is_ willing, after all, that you should make
your choice----

MRS. UPJOHN.

[_Advancing._] Yes, dearie, if 'e _is_ willing----

LILY.

[_Frantically._] I tell you I _have_ made it. I keep on telling you
_I've chosen-- I've chosen-- I've chosen!_ [_Clenching her hands._]
If you torment me any more, either of you----!

[_MRS. UPJOHN and JIMMIE retreat precipitately to the bedroom door.
They open the door and then, standing in the doorway, listen
intently._

JIMMIE.

[_Disappearing._] Ah----!

MRS. UPJOHN.

[_Partially disappearing._] Ah--! [_Only her head visible, speaking to
LILY in a hoarse whisper._] Mother's _'ere_, dearie.

[_The head is withdrawn and the door softly closed. After a pause,
GLADYS enters at the other door followed by JEYES and FARNCOMBE. The
men are carrying their hats and canes. GLADYS retires, closing the
door, and JEYES comes to LILY and shakes hands with her._

JEYES.

[_To LILY, gently._] How are you to-day, Lil? Very fagged?

LILY.

[_Almost inaudibly._] I _am_ a little. [_JEYES turns from her, to lay
his hat and cane upon the box-ottoman, and then FARNCOMBE, who has
hung back, advances hesitatingly to the further side of the centre
table and bows to LILY. She rises and, avoiding his eyes, gives him a
limp hand across the table._] How d'ye do? [_To JEYES who, having got
rid of his hat and cane, moves awa