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MRS. STIDULPH.
Fancy those two girls walking into a room before _us_! [_Discovering the fan upon the floor._] Oh, I do believe that's my fan!
[_VON RETTENMAYER restores the fan to MRS. STIDULPH as ROPER and GABRIELLE enter at the door on the left._
GABRIELLE.
[_To ROPER, in a low, complaining voice._] It's a shame of you; that's what it is. You went and put Lily Parradell into rubber and enabled _her_ to make a bit. She told us so.
ROPER.
Yes; but how long ago?
GABRIELLE.
That's not the point. The point is, it's always Lily Parradell with you; you never do anything for us other girls.
[_She sits upon the nearer settee in the centre and she and ROPER, he standing by her, continue their conversation._
MRS. STIDULPH.
[_To VON RETTENMAYER._] No, thanks; I'm on a diet. Didn't you notice me at supper? [_Moving to the settee on the right._] Let's sit. [_To STIDULPH._] Oh, get up. [_STIDULPH rises quickly._] Why aren't you dancing? If you don't dance, go home and put yourself to bed. You might, for all the good you're doing here.
STIDULPH.
[_With a forced, painful laugh._] Ha, ha! Ha, ha, ha!
VON RETTENMAYER.
[_As MRS. STIDULPH seats herself._] Blenty of room for you too, Golonel.
STIDULPH.
No, no; I won't inconvenience you.
[_He moves away and VON RETTENMAYER sits beside MRS. STIDULPH. The waiter who has previously gone out now returns at the door on the left with a tray of ices in paper cases. He goes to the counter for a supply of ice-spoons as FARNCOMBE enters with LILY at the right-hand door at the back. Her cheeks are flushed, her eyes sparkling._
ROPER.
[_All his attention suddenly directed to LILY and FARNCOMBE._] Here's Lil!
LILY.
[_Excitedly, seizing STIDULPH'S hand._] You're not dancing, Colonel Stidulph. [_Showing him her programme._] Dance with me. I'll make one of the others give up a dance for you.
STIDULPH.
[_Going to the counter._] No, no; I'm too old.
LILY.
Too old for dancing! I shall never be too old for dancing. [_Coming to the nearer settee in the centre, picking up her bouquet, and sitting beside GABRIELLE._] Ah-h-h-h!
ROPER.
[_To FARNCOMBE, who follows LILY._] Hul-lo! [_Beaming._] Jolly party, hey, Farncombe?
FARNCOMBE.
[_Boyishly._] Lovely! [_To LILY._] May I bring you some lemonade-- an ice----?
LILY.
[_Looking up at him._] You may keep on bringing me ices till the music starts again. [_FARNCOMBE leaves her._] Gabby, wasn't that waltz delicious!
[_PALK and SYBIL enter at the door on the left. SYBIL seats herself beside NITA on the fender-stool and PALK fetches her some refreshment._
GABRIELLE.
[_To LILY, drearily._] I say, Lil.
LILY.
What?
GABRIELLE.
How much did you make out of rubber last year through Lal?
LILY.
Rubber, rubber, rubber? Br-r-r-rh! I don't know. [_To ROPER._] How much?
ROPER.
Four-fifty.
GABRIELLE.
There!
LILY.
I did my house up with it-- gave the job to young Charlie Ramsden who's gone in for decorating----
ROPER.
Yes, and blued the whole lot at one go!
