her left hand to DEVENISH, who kisses it, and her right to
BAXTER, who shakes it.)

BELINDA. How nice of you both to come!

BAXTER. Mr. Devenish and I are inseparable--apparently.

BELINDA. You haven't told me what you were doing, Mr. Devenish. Was it
"This year, next year?" or "Silk, satin--"

DEVENISH. My lady, it was even more romantic than that. I have the
honour to announce to your ladyship that Mr. Baxter is to be a sailor.

BELINDA (to BAXTER). Doesn't he talk nonsense?

BAXTER. He'll grow out of it. I did.

BELINDA. Oh, I hope not. I love talking nonsense, and I'm ever so old.
(As they both start forward to protest) Now which one of you will say it
first?

DEVENISH. You are as old as the stars and as young as the dawn.

BAXTER. You are ten years younger than I am.

BELINDA. What sweet things to say! I don't know which I like best.

DEVENISH. Where will my lady sit?

BELINDA. I will recline in the hammock, an it please thee, my lord--only
it's rather awkward getting in, Mr. Baxter. Perhaps you'd both better
look at the tulips for a moment.

BAXTER. Oh--ah--yes. (He puts his hat on and turns his back to the
hammock.)

DEVENISH (leaning over her). If only--

BELINDA. You'd better not say anything, Mr. Devenish. Keep it for your
next volume. (He turns away.) One, two, three--that was better than last
time. (They turn round to see her safely in the hammock. DEVENISH leans
against the tree at her feet, and BAXTER draws the chair from the right
side of the table and turns it round towards her. He presses his hat
more firmly on and sits down.) I wonder if either of you can guess what
I've been reading this afternoon!

DEVENISH (looking at her lovingly). I know.

BELINDA (giving him a fleeting look). How did you know? (to BAXTER).
Yes, Mr. Baxter, it was your article I was reading. If you'd come five
minutes earlier you'd have found me wrestling--I mean revelling in it.

BAXTER. I am very greatly honoured, Mrs. Tremayne. Ah--it seemed to me a
very interesting curve showing the rise and fall of--

BELINDA. I hadn't got up to the curves. They _are_ interesting, aren't
they? They are really more in Mr. Devenish's line. (To DEVENISH.) Mr.
Devenish, it was a great disappointment to me that all the poems in your
book seemed to be written to somebody else.

DEVENISH. It was before I met you, lady. They were addressed to the
goddess of my imagination. It is only in these last few weeks that I
have discov