and he is clean-shaven except for a hint of whisker. He
might pass for a retired Captain R. N., and he has something of the
quarter-deck manner, so that even a remark on the weather is listened to
with attention. Neither of his sons loves him, but GERALD is no longer
afraid of him. LADY FARRINGDON is outwardly rather intimidating, but she
never feels so. She worships GERALD; and would love a good many other
people if they were not a little overawed by her.]

LADY FARRINGDON. Ah, you're here, Mr. Wentworth. How do you do?

WENTWORTH (coming forward). How do you do, Lady Farringdon? How do you
do, Sir James?

SIR JAMES. How are you, Wentworth? Come to see Gerald play for the
county?

GERALD. He's come to see Pamela. Haven't you, Wentworth?

WENTWORTH. I rather hope to see both.

SIR JAMES. Ah, Aunt Harriet, I didn't see you. How are you to-day?

MISS FARRINGDON. Very well, thank you, James. (He goes over to her.)

LADY FARRINGDON. I hope they've shown you your room, Mr. Wentworth, and
made you comfortable? Gerald, darling, you saw that Mr. Wentworth was
all right?

WENTWORTH. Oh yes, that's quite all right, thank you, Lady Farringdon.

LADY FARRINGDON. Let me see, you're in the Blue Room, I think.

LETTY. It's much the nicest room to be in, Mr. Wentworth. There's a
straight way down the water-pipe in case of fire.

GERALD. And a straight way up in case of burglars.

LADY FARRINGDON (fondly). Gerald, dear, don't be so foolish.

SIR JAMES. Gerald, is it true you went round in seventy-two?

GERALD. Yes. Tommy did the eighth in one.

TOMMY (modestly). Awful fluke.

SIR JAMES (casually). Ah--well done. (To GERALD) Seventy-two--that's
pretty good. That's five under bogey, Mr. Wentworth.

LADY FARRINGDON (to WENTWORTH). Gerald has always been so good at
everything. Even as a baby.

TOMMY. He did the ninth in three, Letty. How's that for hot?

SIR JAMES (to WENTWORTH). You must stay till Thursday, if you can, and
see the whole of the Surrey match. It isn't often Gerald gets a chance
of playing for the county now. It's difficult for him to get away from
the Foreign Office. Lord Edward was telling me at the club the other
day--

LETTY (TO LADY FARRINGDON). Gerald dived off the Monk's Rock this
morning. I'm glad I didn't see him. I should have been horribly
frightened.

TOMMY (proudly). I saw him.

LETTY. Tommy, of course, slithered down over the limpets in the ordinary
way.

LADY FARRINGDON (fondly).