JEVARY: (_trying to laugh it off_) Madeline! How absurd.

MADELINE: Well, I'm off for tennis.

(_Nods good-bye and passes on_.)

FEJEVARY: (_calling to her_) Oh, Madeline, if your Aunt Isabel is out
there--will you tell her where we are?

MADELINE: (_calling back_) All right.

FEJEVARY: (_after a look at his companion_) Queer girl, Madeline.
Rather--moody.

SENATOR: (_disapprovingly_) Well--yes.

FEJEVARY: (_again trying to laugh it off_) She's been hearing a great
many speeches about her grandfather.

SENATOR: She should be proud to hear them.

FEJEVARY: Of course she should. (_looking in the direction_ MADELINE
_has gone_) I want you to meet my wife, Senator Lewis.

SENATOR: I should be pleased to meet Mrs Fejevary. I have heard what she
means to the college--socially.

FEJEVARY: I think she has given it something it wouldn't have had
without her. Certainly a place in the town that is--good for it. And you
haven't met our president yet.

SENATOR: Guess, I've met the real president.

FEJEVARY: Oh--no. I'm merely president of the board of trustees.

SENATOR: 'Merely!'

FEJEVARY: I want you to know President Welling. He's very much the
cultivated gentleman.

SENATOR: Cultivated gentlemen are all right. I'd hate to see a world
they ran.

FEJEVARY: (_with a laugh_) I'll just take a look up here, then we can go
down the shorter way.

(_He goes out right_. SENATOR LEWIS _turns and examines the books_.
FUSSIE _slips in, looks at him, hesitates, and then stoops under the
table for the Matthew Arnold (and her poem) which_ HORACE _has kicked
there. He turns_.)

FUSSIE: (_not out from under the table_) Oh, I was just looking for a
book.

SENATOR: Quite a place to look for a book.

FUSSIE: (_crawling out_) Yes, it got there. I thought I'd put it back.
Somebody--might want it.

SENATOR: I see, young lady, that you have a regard for books.

FUSSIE: Oh, yes, I do have a regard for them.

SENATOR: (_holding out his hand_) And what is your book?

FUSSIE: Oh--it's--it's nothing.

(_As he continues to hold out his hand, she reluctantly gives the
book_.)

SENATOR: (_solemnly_) Matthew Arnold? Nothing?

FUSSIE: Oh, I didn't mean _him_.

SENATOR: A master of English! I am glad, young woman, that you value
this book.

FUSSIE: Oh yes, I'm--awfully fond of it.

(_Growing more and more nervous as in turning the pages he nears the
poem_.)

SENATOR: I am interested in you young people of Morton College