hand extended._] Oh, I _am_ glad! You're just the man I'm dying to see.

GREEN.

[_Kissing her hand._] Haw----!

MRS. QUEBEC.

Lady Skewes and I are getting up a concert in aid of the poor sufferers
from the earthquake in--what's the name of the place?--I forget--Lady
Skewes knows it--and we want you to say a lot about us in your darling
paper. Only distinguished amateurs; that's where the novelty comes in.
Lady Skewes is going to play the violin, if she can pull herself
together--she hasn't played for centuries--[_seeing_ PHILIP,
_advancing, and shaking hands with him casually_] how d'ye do?--[_to_
GREEN] and _I've_ promised to sing.

GREEN.

Splendid.

ROOPE.

But how captivating!

MRS. QUEBEC.

[_To_ GREEN.] I've sung so seldom since my marriage, and they've had
_such_ a difficulty to lure me out of my tiny wee shell. Would you mind
dwelling on that a little?

GREEN.

Of course not; anything I can do, deah lady----

MRS. QUEBEC.

That's too utterly sweet of you. You shall have full particulars
to-morrow. I wouldn't bother you, but it's charity, isn't it? Oh, and
there's something else I want you to be kind over----!

[NOYES _returns._

NOYES.

Mrs. Godfrey Anslow.

[_The_ HON. MRS. GODFREY ANSLOW _enters and_ NOYES _goes
out again._

MRS. ANSLOW.

[_A tall, languishing woman with a toneless drawl--to_ ROOPE.] Am I
late?

ROOPE.

[_Pressing her hand._] Not a second, my _very_ dear friend.

MRS. ANSLOW.

Can't help it if I am. My car got smashed up last week in Roehampton
Lane, and the motor people have lent me the original ark, on wheels.
[MRS. QUEBEC _comes to her._] Hullo, Esme!

MRS. QUEBEC.

[_Shaking hands._] How'r you, Millicent?

MRS. ANSLOW.

[_Going to_ GREEN _and giving him her hand._] Oh, and here's that
horrid Mr. Green!

GREEN.

My deah Mrs. Anslow!

MRS. QUEBEC.

Horrid! What's he done? [_Sitting in the chair by the small table._] I
consider him a white-robed angel.