"When I was young," exploded Nathaniel, "no decent woman would have mentioned such things in public!"
"How quaint!" said Valerie. "Stephen, darling, give me a cigarette!"
He threw his case over to her. Roydon asked, trying to control his voice, whether anyone wished him to continue or not.
"Yes, yes, for heaven's sake get on!" snapped Nathaniel testily. "If there's any more about underwear, you can leave it out!"
"You'll have to, anyway," added Stephen.
Roydon ignored this, and read aloud in an angry voice; 'Lucetta May is discovered, seated before her dressing table. She is wearing a shoddy pink negligee, which imperfectly conceals -"
"Careful!" Stephen warned him.
"It is grimy round the edge, and the lace is torn!" said Roydon defiantly.
"I think that's a marvellous touch!" said Valerie.
"It's surprising what a lot of dirt you can pick up from carpets, even where there's a vacuum-cleaner, which I don't suppose there would be in a place like that," said Maud. "I know those cheap theatrical lodging-houses, none better!"