een looking him up and down sharply] If you like.

[She takes his tenderly proferred hand and gives it a squeeze that makes
him open his eyes; then turns away, and says to her mother] Will you
come in, or shall I get a couple more chairs? [She goes into the porch
for the chairs].

MRS WARREN. Well, George, what do you think of her?

CROFTS [ruefully] She has a powerful fist. Did you shake hands with her,
Praed?

PRAED. Yes: it will pass off presently.

CROFTS. I hope so. [Vivie reappears with two more chairs. He hurries to
her assistance]. Allow me.

MRS WARREN [patronizingly] Let Sir George help you with the chairs,
dear.

VIVIE [pitching them into his arms] Here you are. [She dusts her hands
and turns to Mrs Warren]. Youd like some tea, wouldn't you?

MRS WARREN [sitting in Praed's chair and fanning herself] I'm dying for
a drop to drink.

VIVIE. I'll see about it. [She goes into the cottage].

[Sir George has by this time managed to unfold a chair and plant it by
Mrs Warren, on her left. He throws the other on the grass and sits down,
looking dejected and rather foolish, with the handle of his stick in
his mouth. Praed, still very uneasy, fidgets around the garden on their
right.]

MRS WARREN [to Praed, looking at Crofts] Just look at him, Praddy: he
looks cheerful, don't he? He's been worrying my life out these three
years to have that little girl of mine shewn to him; and now that Ive
done it, he's quite out of countenance. [Briskly] Come! sit up, George;
and take your stick out of your mouth. [Crofts sulkily obeys].

PRAED. I think, you know--if you don't mind my saying so--that we had
better get out of the habit of thinking of her as a little girl. You see
she has really distinguished herself; and I'm not sure, from what I have
seen of her, that she is not older than any of us.

MRS WARREN [greatly amused] Only listen to him, George! Older than any
of us! Well she _has_ been stuffing you nicely with her importance.

PRAED. But young people are particularly sensitive about being treated
in that way.

MRS WARREN. Yes; and young people have to get all that nonsense taken
out of them, and good deal more besides. Don't you interfere, Praddy: I
know how to treat my own child as well as you do. [Praed, with a grave
shake of his head, walks up the garden with his hands behind his back.
Mrs Warren pretends to laugh, but looks after him with perceptible
concern. Then, she whispers to Crofts] Whats the ma