n't be more
gentle.

MARZO. Drink.

LADY CICELY. I'll get you some water myself. Your friend Mr. Drinkwater
was too overcome--take care of the corner--that's it--the second door on
the right. (She goes out with Marzo and his bearers through the little
door.)

BRASSBOUND (still staring). Well, I AM damned--!

DRINKWATER (getting up). Weoll, blimey!

BRASSBOUND (turning irritably on him). What did you say?

DRINKWATER. Weoll, wot did yer sy yrseolf, kepn? Fust tawm aw yever see
y' afride of ennybody. (The others laugh.)

BRASSBOUND. Afraid!

DRINKWATER (maliciously). She's took y' bed from hander yr for a bloomin
penny hawcemen. If y' ynt afride, let's eah yer speak ap to er wen she
cams bawck agin.

BRASSBOUND (to Sir Howard). I wish you to understand, Sir Howard, that
in this castle, it is I who give orders, and no one else. Will you be
good enough to let Lady Cicely Waynflete know that.

SIR HOWARD (sitting up on the divan and pulling himself together). You
will have ample opportunity for speaking to Lady Cicely yourself when
she returns. (Drinkwater chuckles: and the rest grin.)

BRASSBOUND. My manners are rough, Sir Howard. I have no wish to frighten
the lady.

SIR HOWARD. Captain Brassbound: if you can frighten Lady Cicely, you
will confer a great obligation on her family. If she had any sense of
danger, perhaps she would keep out of it.

BRASSBOUND. Well, sir, if she were ten Lady Cicelys, she must consult me
while she is here.

DRINKWATER. Thet's rawt, kepn. Let's eah you steblish yr hawthority.
(Brassbound turns impatiently on him: He retreats remonstrating) Nah,
nah, nah!

SIR HOWARD. If you feel at all nervous, Captain Brassbound, I will
mention the matter with pleasure.

BRASSBOUND. Nervous, sir! no. Nervousness is not in my line. You
will find me perfectly capable of saying what I want to say--with
considerable emphasis, if necessary. (Sir Howard assents with a polite
but incredulous nod.)

DRINKWATER. Eah, eah!

Lady Cicely returns with Johnson and Redbrook. She carries a jar.

LADY CICELY (stopping between the door and the arch). Now for the water.
Where is it?

REDBROOK. There's a well in the courtyard. I'll come and work the
bucket.

LADY CICELY. So good of you, Mr. Redbrook. (She makes for the horseshoe
arch, followed by Redbrook.)

DRINKWATER. Nah, Kepn Brassbound: you got sathink to sy to the lidy, ynt
yr?

LADY CICELY (stopping). I'll come back to hear it presently, C