The 'Mind the Paint' Girl Part 31

LILY.

[_Laughing._] Blued it completely. Ha, ha, ha! [_Singing._] "What does the blue sea Whisper to me-ee--!" [_FARNCOMBE appears at her side with the waiter carrying the ices._] Ices!

ROPER.

[_Leaving GABRIELLE and, with his hands in his pockets, walking about exultingly._] Ices, sweets or chocolates, full piano-score! Hul-lo, here! Ha, ha, ha!

[_GLYNN and OLGA and DE CASTRO and EVANGELINE have entered at the right-hand door at the back. OLGA and EVANGELINE seat themselves upon the further settee in the centre and GLYNN and DE CASTRO summon a waiter to attend upon them. s.h.i.+RLEY and FLO now enter at the door on the left and go to the counter. At the same moment SMYTHE, COOLING, and TAVISH enter at the right-hand door at the back, SMYTHE smoking a huge cigar. They also stand at the counter and are served with drinks by LUIGI. LILY and GABRIELLE having each taken an ice, the waiter with the ices moves away and offers his ices to the other ladies. Another waiter carries round a tray on which are a box of cigarettes and the spirit-lamp, and the bearded waiter moves about with the dish of sandwiches. Some of the ladies light cigarettes, a few of the men take sandwiches._

COOLING.

[_As he enters with SMYTHE and TAVISH._] Haw, haw, haw! You're wonderful, Chief. [_To TAVISH._] The Chief's in great form, w.i.l.l.y.

[_To STIDULPH._] Colonel, listen to the Chief.

MRS. STIDULPH.

[_To VON RETTENMAYER, confidentially._] Of course, this is strictly between ourselves-- though I almost hinted as much to Smythe-- but the fact is the Pandora isn't in the least what it _was_, Karl.

VON RETTENMAYER.

Noding is what it was, my dear Dolly, and n.o.body.

MRS. STIDULPH.

[_Fanning herself._] I suppose he can't find the artists; _that's_ it.

If you don't have the artists--! [_Shutting up her fan._] You recollect my "Polly Taggart" in _The Merry Milliner_?

VON RETTENMAYER.

[_Stifling a yawn._] Gharming; gharming.

[_FARNCOMBE is bending over LILY while she is eating her ice and they are talking lightly but intently. GABRIELLE, finding that she is "out of it," rises with a pout and, carrying her plate, joins the ladies and men who are at the fireplace. BLAND enters with JIMMIE at the door on the left._

MRS. STIDULPH.

[_To VON RETTENMAYER._] I hate blowing my own trumpet, but I was looking through my press-cuttings only yesterday. _I've_ never seen such notices as I had for "Polly Taggart."

VON RETTENMAYER.

[_Closing his eyes._] Vavourable?

MRS. STIDULPH.

Favourable! They make me blush to read them. Stupid of me; but they make me blush, positively.

[_JIMMIE comes to LILY, BLAND following her. On her way she sees the handkerchief and powder-puff lying upon the floor._

JIMMIE.

Why, _there_ it is! [_Picking up the handkerchief and puff, and rubbing the puff, which is an extremely ragged one, over her nose-- singing sentimentally._] "There are no friends like the old friends, The constant, tried, and true;--" [_Sitting beside LILY._] Room for a little 'un?

[_LILY, without interrupting her talk with FARNCOMBE, lays her hand on JIMMIE'S for a moment._

BLAND.

[_To JIMMIE._] Bring you anything?

JIMMIE.

[_Wrapping the puff in the handkerchief tenderly and slipping it into her bosom._] A liqueur of petrol and a lucifer-match.

BLAND.

[_Leaving her._] Oh, go on!

MRS. STIDULPH.

[_To VON RETTENMAYER._] And then to give it all up, as I was idiot enough to do when I married, and for a life as dull as ditch-water! If ever a woman sacrificed herself in this world----!

[_FULKERSON and DAPHNE enter at the door on the left and hurry to the counter._

FULKERSON.

[_Boisterously._] Time! Time! [_To those standing at the counter._]

'Low me. 'Low me. [_To LUIGI._] Gla.s.s o' lemonade and a whiskey-and-soda. Quick with the whiskey-and-soda.

MRS. STIDULPH.

[_To VON RETTENMAYER._] But I don't intend to stick to _that_ arrangement. If I can't get back into the theatres, there are the halls! I was telling the Colonel this morning----

ROPER.

[_Appearing before MRS. STIDULPH, his programme in his hand._] Ours, Dolly.

VON RETTENMAYER.

[_Rising with alacrity._] Aha! [_Bowing to MRS. STIDULPH._] I yield with relugtance.

[_ROPER sits beside MRS. STIDULPH and VON RETTENMAYER hastens to ENID._

ROPER.

[_To MRS. STIDULPH._] Another waltz.

DAPHNE.

[_To HENEAGE, who is claiming her._] Wait till I've finished my drink, Stewie.