ing to JIMMIE and ROPER._] Afthernoon, everybody! [_Shaking
hands with JEYES, who has risen and now joins the group._] How are
you, Nicko?

LILY.

[_Giving her hand to VON RETTENMAYER._] Excuse me for cutting you
short when you came in. Thanks for your splendid present. I did send
you a wire, didn't I?

VON RETTENMAYER.

[_Kissing her hand and bowing over it._] I shall breserve it, with a
few oder souvenirs, till the end of my life.

LILY.

[_Withdrawing her hand and blowing the compliment away._] Phew! Lal,
lal, lal, la!

VON RETTENMAYER.

[_In an altered tone, after a cautious look round._] Goddess.

LILY.

Eh?

VON RETTENMAYER.

[_Anxiously._] My drifling liddle offering-- I endreat you not to
mention it to Enid.

LILY.

[_Laughing heartily._] Ha, ha, ha, ha! Another of you!

VON RETTENMAYER.

The gharming Miss Mongreiff.

LILY.

[_Seriously._] Baron, I wish you boys wouldn't make me presents and
then ask me to keep them a secret from the other girls.

VON RETTENMAYER.

And I-- I wish it were not nezezzary. But, goddess, you are alzo a
young lady of the world-- you know what women are.

LILY.

H'm! I know what you men are.

[_MAUD, a buxom young woman with a good-tempered face, dressed as a
lady's-maid, enters quickly, tying her apron, and runs to LILY. JEYES
comes to the further side of the writing-table and VON RETTENMAYER now
joins him there. JIMMIE BIRCH also comes forward, accompanied by DE
CASTRO._

MAUD.

[_To LILY._] Here, give me your things. [_LILY tosses her hat, scarf,
and gloves to MAUD._] I was in my room, having a lie down. Is my hair
untidy?

LILY.

I've never seen it anything else.

MAUD.

[_Merrily._] Ha, ha, ha! [_To JIMMIE and DE CASTRO._] Afternoon, Miss
Jimmie. Afternoon, Mr. de Castro. [_To LILY._] Now, don't let them all
tire you to death, there's a pet.

LILY.

Oh, clear out. [_As MAUD is departing._] Hi! [_Rising and kicking off
her shoes and sending them in MAUD'S direction._] Fetch me a pair of
slippers.

MAUD.

[_Picking up the shoes and chuckling._] He, he, he!

[_When MAUD reaches the door, which she has left open, GLADYS appears
with the tea-tray and with FARNCOMBE at her heels._

GLADYS.

[_To MAUD, in a low voice, witheringly._] Oh, you're doing something,
are you?

MAUD.

[_In the same tone, passing GLADYS._] Yes, setting you an example, my
girl. [_Encountering FARNCOMBE._] Beg pardon.

[_MAUD withdraws,