ses did you back, Vincent? I won a fiver, through Jerry
Grimwood.

ROPER.

[_To BLAND._] You _are_ a patent ass. Why don't you leave betting
alone?

BLAND.

[_To ROPER, flaring up._] Why don't you leave your City muck alone?

LILY.

[_Putting her feet to the floor, imperiously._] That'll do. Be quiet,
you two! I won't have any wrangling in my house. Run away and play,
all of you. I want to speak to Vincent for a minute privately. [_With
a gesture._] Uncle Lal-- Jimmie-- Nicko-- [_To MRS. UPJOHN._] Scoot,
mother!

MRS. UPJOHN.

Oh, dear, wot a child!

[_ROPER, JIMMIE, JEYES, and MRS. UPJOHN move away and LILY beckons to
BLAND._

LILY.

Vin.

BLAND.

[_Close to her, with a wry face._] Mercy!

LILY.

[_In a low voice._] You've broken your word to me, then? [_Through her
teeth._] Those damned horses!

BLAND.

Cooling had a tip from the stable----

LILY.

Cooling! Morrie Cooling has no children; only a fat wife. You've a
darling little wife and three kiddies. How much did you drop
yesterday?

BLAND.

Shan't say.

LILY.

[_Rising and touching his arm._] Oh, Vincent!

[_She looks round, to assure herself that she is unobserved. MRS.
UPJOHN and ROPER are seated at the tea-table with their heads
together, talking; JIMMIE is at the piano, fingering out a piece of
music; JEYES is half hidden in the arm-chair facing the settee at the
back. LILY tiptoes to the writing-table and seats herself there as
GLADYS reappears showing in the BARON VON RETTENMAYER._

VON RETTENMAYER.

[_A tall, fair young man of three-and-thirty, speaking in thick,
guttural tones-- advancing to LILY._] Aha, goddess! [_Gladys
withdraws._] Many habby returns of the day!

LILY.

H'sh! I'm busy for a moment, Baron.

VON RETTENMAYER.

[_To LILY-- shaking hands with BLAND._] A thousand bardons.

LILY.

Talk to mother and Jimmie.

VON RETTENMAYER.

With bleasure. [_Going to MRS. UPJOHN and ROPER and shaking hands with
them._] How are you, my dear Ma? How are you, Jimmie? [_Waving a hand
to ROPER and JEYES._] My dear Rober! My dear Neegolas!

JIMMIE.

[_To VON RETTENMAYER, mimicking him._] Rober! Neegolas! Why don't they
provide you with throat lozenges at the Embassy, Baron?

[_VON RETTENMAYER laughs. LILY has quickly opened a drawer in the
writing-table and produced a cheque-book. After another glance over
her shoulder, she sweeps the presents aside and writes. Then she
replaces the