herself to be taken across to Mr. VAN B., who greets her
effusively. Miss T. leaves them together._

_Bob P._ (_who has been prudently keeping in the background till now,
decides that his chance has come_). How do you do. Miss TROTTER? It's
awfully jolly to meet you again like this!

_Miss. T._ Well, I guess that remark would have been more convincing
if you'd made it a few minutes earlier.

_Bob_. I--I--you see, I didn't know.... I was afraid--I rather
thought--

_Miss T._ You don't get much further with _rather_ thinking, as a
general rule, than if you didn't think at all. But if you're at all
anxious to run away the way you did at Bellagio, you needn't be afraid
_I'll_ hinder you.

_Bob_. (_earnestly_). Run away! _Do_ you think I'd have gone if--I've
felt dull enough ever since, without _that_.'

_Miss T._ Oh, I expect you've had a beautiful time. _We_ have.

_Miss P._ (_coming up_). ROBERT, I thought you wanted to see the Alps?
You should come over to the other side, and--

_Miss T._ I'll undertake that he sees the Alps, darling,
presently--when we're through our talk.

_Miss P._ As you please, dear. But (_pointedly_) did I not see Mr.
CULCHARD below?

_Miss T._ You don't mean to say you're wearied of Mr. VAN BOODELER
_already_! Well, Mr. CULCHARD will be along soon, and I'll loan him
to you. I'll tell him you're vurry anxious to converse with him some
more. He's just coming along now, with Mr. PODBURY and Poppa.

_Miss P._ (_under her breath_). MAUD! if you _dare_--!

_Miss T._ Don't you _dare_ me, then--or you'll see. But I don't want
to be mean unless I'm obliged to.

[_Mr. TROTTER, followed by CULCHARD and PODBURY, arrives
at the upper platform. CULCHARD and PODBURY efface
themselves as much as possible. Mr. TROTTER greets Miss
PRENDERGAST heartily._

_Mr. T._ Well now, I call this sociable, meeting all together again
like this. I don't see why in the land we didn't _keep_ together. I've
been saying so to my darter here, ever since Bellagio--ain't that so,
MAUD? And _she_ didn't know just how it came about either.

_Miss P._ (_hurriedly_). We--we had to be getting on. And I am afraid
we must say good-bye now, Mr. TROTTER. I want BOB and Mr. PODBURY
to see the Da Vinci fresco, you know, before the light goes. (Bob
_mutters a highly disrespectful wish concerning that work of Art._) We
_may_ see you again, before we leave for Verona.

_Mr. T._ Verona? Well, I don't car