hand extended._] Oh, I _am_ glad! You're just the man I'm dying to see.
GREEN.
[_Kissing her hand._] Haw----!
MRS. QUEBEC.
Lady Skewes and I are getting up a concert in aid of the poor sufferers
from the earthquake in--what's the name of the place?--I forget--Lady
Skewes knows it--and we want you to say a lot about us in your darling
paper. Only distinguished amateurs; that's where the novelty comes in.
Lady Skewes is going to play the violin, if she can pull herself
together--she hasn't played for centuries--[_seeing_ PHILIP,
_advancing, and shaking hands with him casually_] how d'ye do?--[_to_
GREEN] and _I've_ promised to sing.
GREEN.
Splendid.
ROOPE.
But how captivating!
MRS. QUEBEC.
[_To_ GREEN.] I've sung so seldom since my marriage, and they've had
_such_ a difficulty to lure me out of my tiny wee shell. Would you mind
dwelling on that a little?
GREEN.
Of course not; anything I can do, deah lady----
MRS. QUEBEC.
That's too utterly sweet of you. You shall have full particulars
to-morrow. I wouldn't bother you, but it's charity, isn't it? Oh, and
there's something else I want you to be kind over----!
[NOYES _returns._
NOYES.
Mrs. Godfrey Anslow.
[_The_ HON. MRS. GODFREY ANSLOW _enters and_ NOYES _goes
out again._
MRS. ANSLOW.
[_A tall, languishing woman with a toneless drawl--to_ ROOPE.] Am I
late?
ROOPE.
[_Pressing her hand._] Not a second, my _very_ dear friend.
MRS. ANSLOW.
Can't help it if I am. My car got smashed up last week in Roehampton
Lane, and the motor people have lent me the original ark, on wheels.
[MRS. QUEBEC _comes to her._] Hullo, Esme!
MRS. QUEBEC.
[_Shaking hands._] How'r you, Millicent?
MRS. ANSLOW.
[_Going to_ GREEN _and giving him her hand._] Oh, and here's that
horrid Mr. Green!
GREEN.
My deah Mrs. Anslow!
MRS. QUEBEC.
Horrid! What's he done? [_Sitting in the chair by the small table._] I
consider him a white-robed angel.
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