SS SUSAN. Hats off, gentlemen salute, ladies curtsy--to the brave
Captain Brown.

(CAPTAIN BROWN _salutes them awkwardly, and they cheer him, to his
great discomfort, as they pass out._)

VALENTINE (_when they have gone_). A terrible ordeal, ma'am.

(_The old friends look at each other, and there is a silence_.
VALENTINE _feels that all the fine tales and merry jests he has brought
back for the ladies have turned into dead things. He wants to go away
and think._)

PHOEBE. I wish you very happy at the ball.

VALENTINE (_sighing_). Miss Susan, cannot we turn all these maps and
horrors out till the vacation is over?

MISS SUSAN. Indeed, sir, we always do. By to-morrow this will be my
dear blue and white room again, and that my sweet spare bedroom.

PHOEBE. For five weeks!

VALENTINE (_making vain belief_). And then--the--the dashing Mr. Brown
will drop in as of old, and, behold, Miss Susan on her knees once more
putting tucks into my little friend the ottoman, and Miss Phoebe---Miss
Phoebe----

PHOEBE. Phoebe of the ringlets!

(_She goes out quietly._)

VALENTINE (_miserably_). Miss Susan, what a shame it is.

MISS SUSAN (_hotly_). Yes, it is a shame.

VALENTINE (_suddenly become more of a man_). The brave Captain Brown!
Good God, ma'am, how much more brave are the ladies who keep a school.

(PATTY _shows in two visitors,_ MISS CHARLOTTE PARRATT _and_ ENSIGN
BLADES. CHARLOTTE _is a pretty minx who we are glad to say does not
reside in Quality Street, and_ BLADES _is a callow youth, inviting
admiration._)

CHARLOTTE (_as they salute_). But I did not know you had company, Miss
Susan.

MISS SUSAN. 'Tis Captain Brown--Miss Charlotte Parratt.

CHARLOTTE (_gushing_). The heroic Brown?

VALENTINE. Alas, no, ma'am, the other one.

CHARLOTTE. Miss Susan, do you see who accompanies me?

MISS SUSAN. I cannot quite recall----

BLADES. A few years ago, ma'am, there sat in this room a scrubby, inky
little boy--I was that boy.

MISS SUSAN. Can it be our old pupil--Ensign Blades?

(_She thinks him very fine, and he bows, well pleased._)

BLADES. Once a little boy and now your most obedient, ma'am.

MISS SUSAN. You have come to recall old memories?

BLADES. Not precisely; I--Charlotte, explain.

CHARLOTTE. Ensign Blades wishes me to say that it must seem highly
romantic to you to have had a pupil who has fought at Waterloo.

MISS SUSAN. Not exactly romantic. I trust, sir, that