y George,
he's a brick, isn't he!

LILY.

[_After a pause, drying her eyes._] Eddie----

FARNCOMBE.

Yes?

LILY.

If-- if ever we marry----

FARNCOMBE.

[_His jaw falling._] _If----!_

LILY.

W-w-when, then. When we marry, you'll be obliged to resign your
commission in the Guards, won't you?

FARNCOMBE.

[_Snapping his fingers._] P'sh! I shan't care a rap about that.

LILY.

[_Snatching her hand away._] The snobs! The snobs! They'd let you
marry any bit of trash in your own set; but a Pandora girl, though
she's as pure as the Queen of England----! Oh, the contemptible snobs!

FARNCOMBE.

[_Regaining possession of her hand._] H'sh! H'sh! It-- it's the
practice----

LILY.

Blow the practice! A cheerful reflection for _me_, it'll be. The
arrant snobs!

FARNCOMBE.

[_Stroking her hand._] Ah! Ah!

LILY.

And then-- poor mother! You-- you won't be very proud of poor mother.

FARNCOMBE.

Your mother? [_Boyishly._] Oh, she-- she's an awfully good sort.

LILY.

She hasn't an H. to her name.

FARNCOMBE.

[_Inadvertently._] She _oughtn't_ to have.

LILY.

[_Withdrawing her hand again, sharply._] She calls herself _H_upjohn,
you mean!

FARNCOMBE.

[_Distressed._] No, no, no. [_In a difficulty._] Er-- at any rate, h's
don't lead you to heaven, do they?

LILY.

[_Gloomily._] You're right; mother's lead _her_ to _'eaven_. [_Rising
and walking away._] Well, you'd better go now.

FARNCOMBE.

[_Rising._] And to-night----?

LILY.

No; I'll come home alone.

FARNCOMBE.

Lily----!

LILY.

[_Imperatively._] Please----!

FARNCOMBE.

When----?

LILY.

[_Moving to the door on the left._] Not for two or three days. Give me
time to shake down over this.

FARNCOMBE.

[_Taking up his hat and cane which he has left upon the centre
table._] Sunday?

LILY.

[_Fretfully._] No.

FARNCOMBE.

Monday?

LILY.

[_Opening the door._] No.

FARNCOMBE.

[_Joining her at the door._] Tuesday?

LILY.

[_Appealingly._] I-- I'll write. [_Again he takes her hand, she
keeping him at a distance. He attempts to lessen the distance, but she
checks him, shaking her head._] Not just yet, Eddie. [_He smiles at
her tenderly and, with a bow, departs. From the doorway, she watches
him disappear; then she shuts the door and wanders listlessly to the
door of the bedroom. Her hand lingers upon the knob for a moment, and
then she opens the door a little way and calls._] Mother! Mother---