rivate door.

JENNIFER. Have the catalogues come yet, Mr Danby?

THE SECRETARY. Not yet.

JENNIFER. What a shame! It's a quarter past: the private view will begin
in less than half an hour.

THE SECRETARY. I think I'd better run over to the printers to hurry them
up.

JENNIFER. Oh, if you would be so good, Mr Danby. I'll take your place
while youre away.

THE SECRETARY. If anyone should come before the time dont take any
notice. The commissionaire wont let anyone through unless he knows
him. We have a few people who like to come before the crowd--people
who really buy; and of course we're glad to see them. Have you seen the
notices in Brush and Crayon and in The Easel?

JENNIFER [indignantly] Yes: most disgraceful. They write quite
patronizingly, as if they were Mr Dubedat's superiors. After all the
cigars and sandwiches they had from us on the press day, and all they
drank, I really think it is infamous that they should write like that. I
hope you have not sent them tickets for to-day.

THE SECRETARY. Oh, they wont come again: theres no lunch to-day. The
advance copies of your book have come. [He indicates the new books].

JENNIFER [pouncing on a copy, wildly excited] Give it to me. Oh! excuse
me a moment [she runs away with it through the private door].

The Secretary takes a mirror from his drawer and smartens himself before
going out. Ridgeon comes in.

RIDGEON. Good morning. May I look round, as well, before the doors open?

THE SECRETARY. Certainly, Sir Colenso. I'm sorry catalogues have not
come: I'm just going to see about them. Heres my own list, if you dont
mind.

RIDGEON. Thanks. Whats this? [He takes up one the new books].

THE SECRETARY. Thats just come in. An advance copy of Mrs Dubedat's Life
of her late husband.

RIDGEON [reading the title] The Story of a King By His Wife. [He
looks at the portrait frontise]. Ay: there he is. You knew him here, I
suppose.

THE SECRETARY. Oh, we knew him. Better than she did, Sir Colenso, in
some ways, perhaps.

RIDGEON. So did I. [They look significantly at one another]. I'll take a
look round.

The Secretary puts on the shining hat and goes out. Ridgeon begins
looking at the pictures. Presently he comes back to the table for a
magnifying glass, and scrutinizes a drawing very closely. He sighs;
shakes his head, as if constrained to admit the extraordinary
fascination and merit of the work; then marks the Secretary's list.
Proceeding with his surv