Part 20 (2/2)

FARADAY. Dinner for two! What two?

TARVER. (_Coming down_ R. _to door_) Well, you see, I am worn to a shadow, and Phyllis and I thought----

FARADAY. (_Coming_ C.) Oh, you did! Did you? You get elected first, my lad, and think afterwards.

TARVER. Oh, I say!

FARADAY. Phyllis and Tarver shall dine with Admiral Grice.

PHYLLIS. But, Father----

FARADAY. Celia and Colonel Vavasour shall stay behind and eat _their_ dinner.

TARVER. You don't know how I need a rest.

CELIA. Yes, Father, Bobby is very tired.

SMITH. As for myself, and I know a great deal about elections, I think it would be extremely prejudical if Mr. Tarver didn't go.

FARADAY. Then that settles it.

(TARVER _exits_ R.IE., _looking back belligerently at_ COLONEL VAVASOUR. EVELYN _in dumb show tells_ PHYLLIS _to get her wraps, and_ PHYLLIS _flounces out through morning room_.)

MARTIN. (_Entering_ L.I _and announcing_) Mr. Steele and Mr. Raleigh.

(RALEIGH _comes_ C. _quickly to_ FARADAY. STEELE, _shaking hands first with_ EVELYN, _then stepping back and shaking hands with_ MADGE, _speaks from_ L. _of_ MADGE _near door_.)

STEELE. How do you do, Mr. Faraday?

FARADAY. Good evening, boys.

STEELE. We have both, I believed, arrived with the same idea. We are all going to the dinner party, aren't we? I have my mother's brougham and, since you are rather a large party--(_Looking across at_ CELIA)--I thought I might be allowed to give _some one_ a lift.

RALEIGH. _I_ have come in _my own motor car_, and since you are rather a large party--(_Also looking pointedly at_ CELIA)--I thought I might be allowed to give some one a lift.

FARADAY. It is very kind of you boys to think of us. We shall be a little bit squeezed. We _are_ rather a large party, though Celia is not going.

STEELE _and_ RALEIGH. (_Disappointedly_) Not going?

FARADAY. No. Colonel Smith is dead. (STEELE _and_ RALEIGH _turn away and a slow smile breaks over their faces_.) This is Colonel Vavasour.

(STEELE _and_ RALEIGH _eye_ SMITH _with interest_.) He knew Colonel Smith.

SMITH. (L. _of table_ R.) His dearest friend. I bring his last dying message. (CELIA _rises from sofa, glances at_ SMITH _and goes up to doorway_ R.) He used to lie on his sickbed, gazing across the thatched roofs of Berbera to the Arab dhows riding at their anchors in the sea.

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