'ye do, Jerry?
[_To MRS. STIDULPH._] Oh, Dolly! That you, Dolly?

MRS. STIDULPH.

Well, girls!

FULKERSON.

Here! I want to introdooce Lord Farncombe. Miss Dure-- Miss Trevenna--
Lord Farncombe. Douglas-- Albert-- Lord Farncombe.

NITA.

[_Pouncing upon Cooling._] I say, Morris!

COOLING.

What is it, my dear?

NITA.

Is it true that little Kennedy's met with an accident?

COOLING.

Yes; can't join us.

FULKERSON.

The Dwarf! What's happened?

COOLING.

Ran his car into a 'bus, just outside the theatre.

NITA.

Oh!

COOLING.

Pitched himself forward on to his head.

NITA.

His head!

DAPHNE.

[_With a simper._] Don't be anxious, Nita; there's nothing to hurt
_there_.

VON RETTENMAYER.

Poor Dwarf!

[_GABRIELLE and DE CASTRO now move over to the others._

FULKERSON.

Hullo, Gabs! Hullo, Sam!

GABRIELLE.

Ah, Bertie!

VON RETTENMAYER.

[_Kissing GABRIELLE'S hand._] Gabrielle!

GABRIELLE.

Ah, Von! [_To HENEAGE and GRIMWOOD._] Ah, boys! [_To MRS. STIDULPH._]
How'r' _you_?

DE CASTRO.

[_Shaking hands._] Daphne-- Nita-- Douglath-- Albert--!

FULKERSON.

I want to introdooce Lord Farncombe. Miss Kato-- Lord Farncombe----

[_A band of musicians have mustered upon the landing and there is the
sound of the tuning of instruments._

COOLING.

[_Hurrying across to the double-door._] No, no; no music yet. Wait for
Miss Parradell! [_As he reaches the double-door, ROPER enters quickly
at the right-hand door at the back and seizes his arm._] Eh?

ROPER.

[_To COOLING._] It's all right; she'll be round in a minute.

COOLING.

Amiable?

ROPER.

Angelic. She's wearing a new dress, and that's taken her mind off it.

COOLING.

Her bark's always worse than her bite. I knew it 'ud blow over.

ROPER.

[_Formidably._] Oh, but I have given her such a talking to! [_COOLING
passes through the double-door, and instructs the leader of the band,
while ROPER bustles over to the throng on the left._] Hul-lo!
[_Imitating a street news-vendor._] Speshul edishun, cricket, py-per!
[_Shaking hands all round._] Dolly-- Nita-- Gabs-- Daphne! Douglas--
Albert! Ah, here you are, Farncombe! [_Discovering STIDULPH._] Hul-lo,
Colonel! Results, py-per, extry speshul!

[_ENID MONCREIFF, WILFRID TAVISH, and SIGISMUND SHIRLEY enter at the
right-hand door at the back. ENID is a long, spare-figured girl with
the lissom walk of a dancer; TAVISH and SHIRLEY are tall, clean-sha