closing the door, and FARNCOMBE stands looking at
LILY, who is talking to JIMMIE. GLADYS carries the tray to the
tea-table._

LILY.

[_Become aware of FARNCOMBE'S presence and nodding to him._] How d'ye
do?

FARNCOMBE.

[_Moving a step or two towards her._] I-- I've been here before this
afternoon. I ventured to bring you some flowers.

LILY.

[_Going to him and shaking hands with him formally._] Nobody told me.
Awfully kind of you. Where have they put them?

FARNCOMBE.

[_Lifting his basket of flowers from off the piano and showing it to
her._] Here.

LILY.

Pretty. [_Pulling out a carnation._] Stick it up there again. [_He
replaces the basket._] You're Lord Farncombe, aren't you?

FARNCOMBE.

Yes.

LILY.

[_With a glance at the others._] Know anybody here?

FARNCOMBE.

[_Looking round the room._] Nearly everybody, I fancy. [_He advances
to VON RETTENMAYER, who comes to meet him. LILY sits upon the settee
by the piano and fastens the carnation in her dress. GLADYS goes
out._] Karl----!

VON RETTENMAYER.

My dear Eddie!

FARNCOMBE.

[_Bowing to DE CASTRO, who is now seated beside JIMMIE on the settee
in front of the writing-table._] How are you, Mr. de Castro? [_To
JEYES, who is standing by the chair at the writing-table gnawing his
moustache and watching LILY and FARNCOMBE sourly._] How are you,
Captain Jeyes? [_Turning to BLAND._] How are you, Mr. Bland? [_To
LILY._] I've been talking to Mrs. Upjohn and Mr. Roper already.

LILY.

[_Looking across to JIMMIE._] Miss Birch-- Lord Farncombe.

JIMMIE.

[_Nodding to FARNCOMBE._] How d'ye do?

FARNCOMBE.

[_Going to JIMMIE and shaking hands with her._] I-- I needn't say that
I am one of Miss Birch's warmest-- most profound----

JIMMIE.

[_Smiling at him._] That's all right; don't you bother about that.

[_MAUD returns, carrying a pair of silken slippers. VON RETTENMAYER,
who has come to LILY, makes a dart at the slippers and takes them from
MAUD._

VON RETTENMAYER.

Aha! Permid me.

MAUD.

Now, Baron----! [_Slapping his arm._] Ha, ha, ha----!

[_He pushes MAUD out of the room, she resisting laughingly, and closes
the door._

VON RETTENMAYER.

[_Holding the slippers aloft._] Gendlemen! Homage to Beaudy! Vollow
me! Zam! Vinzent! Rober! Neego! Eddie! [_The men put themselves behind
him, in single file, in the order in which he calls them, with the
exception of JEYES, who deliberately sits at the writing-tabl