down suddenly and almost beginning to cry] Praddy:
won't she see me, don't you think?

PRAED. My dear Kitty: don't distress yourself. Why should she not?

MRS WARREN. Oh, you never can see why not: youre too innocent. Mr Frank:
did she say anything to you?

FRANK [folding his note] She _must_ see you, if [very expressively] you
wait til she comes in.

MRS WARREN [frightened] Why shouldn't I wait?

[Frank looks quizzically at her; puts his note carefully on the
ink-bottle, so that Vivie cannot fail to find it when next she dips her
pen; then rises and devotes his attention entirely to her.]

FRANK. My dear Mrs Warren: suppose you were a sparrow--ever so tiny
and pretty a sparrow hopping in the roadway--and you saw a steam roller
coming in your direction, would you wait for it?

MRS WARREN. Oh, don't bother me with your sparrows. What did she run away
from Haslemere like that for?

FRANK. I'm afraid she'll tell you if you rashly await her return.

MRS WARREN. Do you want me to go away?

FRANK. No: I always want you to stay. But I _advise_ you to go away.

MRS WARREN. What! And never see her again!

FRANK. Precisely.

MRS WARREN [crying again] Praddy: don't let him be cruel to me. [She
hastily checks her tears and wipes her eyes]. She'll be so angry if she
sees I've been crying.

FRANK [with a touch of real compassion in his airy tenderness] You know
that Praddy is the soul of kindness, Mrs Warren. Praddy: what do you
say? Go or stay?

PRAED [to Mrs Warren] I really should be very sorry to cause you
unnecessary pain; but I think perhaps you had better not wait. The fact
is--[Vivie is heard at the inner door].

FRANK. Sh! Too late. She's coming.

MRS WARREN. Don't tell her I was crying. [Vivie comes in. She
stops gravely on seeing Mrs Warren, who greets her with hysterical
cheerfulness]. Well, dearie. So here you are at last.

VIVIE. I am glad you have come: I want to speak to you. You said you
were going, Frank, I think.

FRANK. Yes. Will you come with me, Mrs Warren? What do you say to a
trip to Richmond, and the theatre in the evening? There is safety in
Richmond. No steam roller there.

VIVIE. Nonsense, Frank. My mother will stay here.

MRS WARREN [scared] I don't know: perhaps I'd better go. We're disturbing
you at your work.

VIVIE [with quiet decision] Mr Praed: please take Frank away. Sit down,
mother. [Mrs Warren obeys helplessly].

PRAED. Come, Frank. Goodbye, Miss Vivie.

VIVIE [s