ting_ MISS HENEAGE.] A very warm May
you're having, Sarah.

GRACE. [_Coming forward to welcome him._] Dear Cousin William!

MISS HENEAGE. Wasn't it warm in Cairo when you left?

_She will have the strict truth, or nothing; still, on
account of_ SUDLEY'S _impeccable respectability, she treats
him with more than usual leniency._

SUDLEY. [_Sitting down._] We left Cairo six weeks ago, Grace, so I've
had no news since you wrote in February that Philip was engaged.
[_After a pause._] I need not to say I consider Philip's engagement
excessively regrettable. He is a judge upon the Supreme Court bench
with a divorced wife--and such a divorced wife!

GRACE. Oh, but Philip has succeeded in keeping everything as quiet as
possible.

SUDLEY. [_Acidly._] No, my dear! He has not succeeded in keeping his
former wife as quiet as possible. We had not been in Cairo a week when
who should turn up but Vida Phillimore. She went everywhere and did
everything no woman should!

GRACE. [_With unfeigned interest._] Oh, what did she do?

SUDLEY. She "did" Cleopatra at the tableaux at Lord Errington's! She
"did" Cleopatra, and she did it robed only in some diaphanous material
of a nature so transparent that--in fact she appeared to be draped in
moonshine. [MISS HENEAGE _indicates the presence of_ GRACE _and
rises._] That was only the beginning. As soon as she heard of Philip's
engagement, she gave a dinner in honour of it! Only divorcees were
asked! And she had a dummy--yes, my dear, a dummy!--at the head of the
table. He stood for Philip--that is he sat for Philip!

[_Rising and moving to the table._

MISS HENEAGE. [_Irritated and disgusted._] Ah!

MRS. PHILLIMORE. [_With dismay and pain._] Dear me!

MISS HENEAGE. [_Confident of the value of her opinion._] I disapprove
of Mrs. Phillimore.

SUDLEY. [_Taking a cigarette._] Of course you do, but has Philip taken
to Egyptian cigarettes in order to celebrate my winter at Cairo?

GRACE. Those are Cynthia's.

SUDLEY. [_Thinking that no one is worth knowing whom he does not
know._] Who is "Cynthia?"

GRACE. Mrs. Karslake--She's staying here, Cousin William. She'll be
down in a minute.

SUDLEY. [_Shocked._] You don't mean to tell me--?--!

MISS HENEAGE. Yes, William, Cynthia is Mrs. Karslake--Mrs. Karslake
has no New York house. I disliked the publicity of a hotel in the
circumstances, and, accordingly, when she became engaged to Philip, I
invited her here.