Miss T. Oh, I expect you've had a beautiful time. We have.
Miss P. (coming up). ROBERT, I thought you wanted to see the Alps? You should come over to the other side, and—
Miss T. I'll undertake that he sees the Alps, darling, presently—when we're through our talk.
Miss P. As you please, dear. But (pointedly) did I not see Mr. CULCHARD below?
Miss T. You don't mean to say you're wearied of Mr. VAN BOODELER already! Well, Mr. CULCHARD will be along soon, and I'll loan him to you. I'll tell him you're vurry anxious to converse with him some more. He's just coming along now, with Mr. PODBURY and Poppa.
Miss P. (under her breath). MAUD! if you dare—!
Miss T. Don't you dare me, then—or you'll see. But I don't want to be mean unless I'm obliged to.
[Mr. TROTTER, followed by CULCHARD and PODBURY, arrives at the upper platform. CULCHARD and PODBURY efface themselves as much as possible. Mr. TROTTER greets Miss PRENDERGAST heartily.
Mr. T. Well now, I call this sociable, meeting all together again like this. I don't see why in the land we didn't keep together. I've been saying so to my darter here, ever since Bellagio—ain't that so, MAUD? And she didn't know just how it came about either.
Miss P. (hurriedly). We—we had to be getting on. And I am afraid we must say good-bye now, Mr. TROTTER. I want BOB and Mr. PODBURY to see the Da Vinci fresco, you know, before the light goes. (Bob mutters a highly disrespectful wish concerning that work of Art.) We may see you again, before we leave for Verona.