y
parlourmaid in a uniform, shows in LIONEL ROPER, a middle-aged
individual of the type of the second-class City man._

ROPER.

[_To FARNCOMBE._] Hul-lo! I'm in luck! Just the chap I'm hunting for.
[_Shaking hands with FARNCOMBE._] How d'ye do, Lord Farncombe?

FARNCOMBE.

How are you, Roper?

GLADYS.

[_To ROPER, languidly._] I'll tell Mrs. Upjohn you're here.

ROPER.

Ta. [_GLADYS withdraws._] Phew, it's hot!

FARNCOMBE.

Miss Parradell's out.

ROPER.

[_Taking off his gloves._] She won't be long, I dare say.

FARNCOMBE.

I've brought her a few flowers.

ROPER.

Have you? I've sent her a trifle of jewellery.

FARNCOMBE.

[_Glancing at the writing-table._] She seems to have received a lot of
jewellery.

ROPER.

[_Bustling across to the table._] By Jove, doesn't she! Ah, there's my
brooch!

FARNCOMBE.

[_Modestly._] I didn't consider I'd a right to offer her anything but
flowers, on so slight an acquaintance.

ROPER.

Exactly; but I'm an old friend, you know. [_Turning to FARNCOMBE._]
Perhaps, by her next birthday----

FARNCOMBE.

[_Smiling._] I hope so.

ROPER.

[_Approaching FARNCOMBE and taking him by the lapel of his coat._]
What I want to say to you is, doing anything to-night?

FARNCOMBE.

I-- I shall be at the theatre.

ROPER.

Oh, we shall all be at the theatre, to shout Many Happy Returns.
Later, I mean.

FARNCOMBE.

Nothing that I can't get out of.

ROPER.

Good. Look here. Smythe is giving her a bit of supper in the foyer
after the show, a dance on the stage to follow. About five-and-twenty
people. 'Ull you come?

FARNCOMBE.

If Mr. Smythe is kind enough to ask me----

ROPER.

He _does_ ask you, through me. He's left all the arrangements to me
and Morrie Cooling. Carlton never did anything in his life; _I_ egged
him on to this. I've been sweating at it since eleven o'clock this
morning. Haven't been near the City; not near it. Well?

FARNCOMBE.

[_His eyes glowing._] I shall be delighted.

ROPER.

Splendid. Been trying to get on to you all day. I've called twice at
your club and at St. James's Place.

FARNCOMBE.

Sorry you've had so much trouble.

ROPER.

[_Dropping on to the settee in front of the writing-table and wiping
his brow._] There'll be the Baron, Sam de Castro, Bertie Fulkerson,
Stew Heneage, Jerry Grimwood, Dwarf Kennedy, Colonel and Mrs.
Stidulph-- Dolly Ensor that was-- and ourselves, besides Cooling and
Vincent Bl