you, Oliver, for the wolf and the goat, thank you so
much!--The wolf has sprung on the goat, Miss Wrath, and has her by the
throat.

ANABEL. The wolf?

OLIVER. It's a little marble group--Italian--in hard marble.

WINIFRED. The wolf--I love the wolf--he pounces so beautifully. His
backbone is so terribly fierce. I don't feel a bit sorry for the goat,
somehow.

OLIVER. I didn't. She is too much like the wrong sort of clergyman.

WINIFRED. Yes--such a stiff, long face. I wish he'd kill her.

MRS. BARLOW. There's a wish!

WINIFRED. Father and Gerald are coming. That's them, I suppose.

(Enter MR. BARLOW and GERALD.)

MR. BARLOW. Ah, good morning--good morning--quite a little gathering!
Ah---

OLIVER. The steps tire you, Mr. Barlow.

MR. BARLOW. A little--a little--thank you.--Well, Miss Wrath, are you
quite comfortable here?

ANABEL. Very comfortable, thanks.

GERALD. It was clever of you, father, to turn this place into a studio.

MR. BARLOW. Yes, Gerald. You make the worldly schemes, and I the homely.
Yes, it's a delightful place. I shall come here often if the two young
ladies will allow me.--By the way, Miss Wrath, I don't know if you
have been introduced to my son Gerald. I beg your pardon. Miss Wrath,
Gerald--my son, Miss Wrath. (They bow.) Well, we are quite a gathering,
quite a pleasant little gathering. We never expected anything so
delightful a month ago, did we, Winifred, darling?

WINIFRED. No, daddy, it's much nicer than expectations.

MR. BARLOW. So it is, dear--to have such exceptional companionship
and such a pleasant retreat. We are very happy to have Miss Wrath with
us--very happy.

GERALD. A studio's awfully nice, you know; it is such a retreat. A
newspaper has no effect in it--falls quite flat, no matter what the
headlines are.

MR. BARLOW. Quite true, Gerald, dear. It is a sanctum the world cannot
invade--unlike all other sanctuaries, I am afraid.

GERALD. By the way, Oliver--to go back to profanities--the colliers
really are coming out in support of the poor, ill-used clerks.

MR. BARLOW. No, no, Gerald--no, no! Don't be such an alarmist. Let us
leave these subjects before the ladies. No, no: the clerks will have
their increase quite peacefully.

GERALD. Yes, dear father--but they can't have it peacefully now. We've
been threatened already by the colliers--we've already received an
ultimatum.

MR. BARLOW. Nonsense, my boy--nonsense! Don't let us split words. You
won't