ful that we're
mixing the breed for them a bit. Look at the two lads who've married
Gwennie Harker and Maidie Trevail-- Kinterton and Glenroy; and
Fawcus-- Sir George Fawcus-- Eva Shafto's husband; they haven't a chin
or a forehead between 'em, and their chests are as narrow as a
ten-inch plank.

MRS. UPJOHN.

Quite true.

ROPER.

Farncombe himself, _he's_ inclined to be weedy. I maintain it's a
grand thing for our English nobs that their slips of sons have taken
to marrying young women of the stamp of Maidie Trevail and Gwennie
Harker-- or Lil; keen-witted young women full of the joy of life, with
strong frames, beautiful hair and fine eyes, and healthy pink gums and
big white teeth. Sneer at the Pandora girls! Great Scot, it's my
belief that the Pandora girls'll be the salvation of the aristocracy
in this country in the long run!

[_CAPTAIN NICHOLAS JEYES lounges in. He is a man of about
five-and-thirty, already slightly grey-haired, who has gone to seed.
ROPER sits in the chair in the middle of the room rather guiltily and
MRS. UPJOHN puts on a propitiatory grin._

JEYES.

[_Nodding to MRS. UPJOHN and ROPER as he closes the door._] Afternoon,
Mrs. Upjohn. How'r'you, Roper?

MRS. UPJOHN.

Ah, Captain!

ROPER.

Hullo, Nicko!

JEYES.

[_Advancing._] Lily not in?

MRS. UPJOHN.

No; she's in Fitzroy Street, settin' to Morgan.

JEYES.

[_Frowning._] Why didn't she ask me to go with her?

MRS. UPJOHN.

Dun'no, I'm sure. She's took Miss Birch.

JEYES.

[_With a grunt._] Oh? [_Looking round._] Flowers.

MRS. UPJOHN.

'Eaps of 'em, ain't there?

ROPER.

[_Jerking his head towards the writing-table._] Yes, and some nice
presents over here.

MRS. UPJOHN.

She's beat 'er record this year, Lil 'as, out an' out.

[_JEYES goes to the writing-table and ROPER and MRS. UPJOHN rise and
wander away, the former to the conservatory, the latter to the settee
by the piano._

JEYES.

[_Scowling at the presents._] Very nice. [_Picking up a case of
jewellery._] Ve-ry nice. [_Throwing the case down angrily._] Confound
'em, what the devil do they take her for!

ROPER.

[_At the entrance to the conservatory._] I may remark that one of
those gifts is from _me_, Jeyes.

JEYES.

Oh, I'm not alluding to _you_.

ROPER.

[_Stiffly._] Much obliged.

JEYES.

[_Coming forward and addressing MRS. UPJOHN._] I've called in to ask
Lily whether she'll come out to supper with me to-night