tell you I couldn't hear a word they said, they mumbled
their words so. But upon my soul, Hawcastle, if I couldn't hear, didn't
I _see_ enough?

HAWCASTLE. Upon my soul, I believe you did.

ALMERIC. Quite a family pow-wow you're havin'.

HAWCASTLE. Is there anything unusual in the village?

ALMERIC. Ra-ther! Carabiniere all over the shop--still huntin' that
bandit feller.

LADY CREECH. Don't mumble your words!

ALMERIC [shouting]. Lookin' for a bally bandit.

[She screams faintly.]

HAWCASTLE. Be quiet!

ALMERIC. He's still in this neighborhood, they think.

LADY CREECH [to HAWCASTLE]. What did I tell you? Now, how long--

HAWCASTLE. You shall not repeat one word of what you saw. Almeric, find
your betrothed and ask her to come here.

ALMERIC. Rumbo! I don't mind, pater!

[Exit into the hotel.]

HORACE. What's the row?

HAWCASTLE. My dear young man, I congratulate you that you and your
sister need no longer submit to an odious dictation.

[Enter PIKE briskly from the hotel.]

PIKE [as he enters, genially]. Looks to me like it was going to clear up
cold.

[LADY CREECH haughtily stalks off into the garden.]

HAWCASTLE [pleasantly]. Good-afternoon, Mr. Pike.

PIKE [going to the motor]. Howdy!

[Begins touching different parts of the engine.]

[MADAME DE CHAMPIGNY and HORACE haughtily follow LADY CREECH.]

HAWCASTLE [suavely, to PIKE]. Mr. Pike, it is an immense pity that there
should have been any misunderstanding in the matter of your ward's
betrothal.

PIKE [looking up for a moment, mildly]. Oh, I wouldn't call it a
misunderstanding.

HAWCASTLE. It would ill become a father to press upon the subject of his
son's merits--

PIKE [plaintively]. I don't want to talk about _him_ with you--I don't
want to hurt your feelings.

HAWCASTLE. Perhaps I might better put it on the ground of your ward's
wishes--of certain advantages of position which it is her ambition to
attain.

PIKE [troubled]. I can't talk about it with anybody but her.

[Enter MARIANO from the hotel with a letter on a tray. Goes to PIKE.]

HAWCASTLE. There is another matter--

[PIKE stands examining envelope of the letter in profound thought.]

I fear I do not have your attention.

[MARIANO goes into the hotel.]

PIKE [looking up]. Go ahead!

HAWCASTLE. There is _another_ matter to which I may wish to call your
attention.

PIKE [genially]. Oh, I'll talk about anything _else_ with you.

HAWCASTLE [suavely]. This i