BELINDA. If Mr. Baxter calls--he is the rather prim gentleman-- BETTY. Yea, ma'am; the one who's been here several times before. (_Moves to below and_ L. _of hammock_.) BELINDA (_giving_ BETTY _a quick look_). Yes. Well, if he calls, you'll say, "Not at home." BETTY. Yes, ma'am. BELINDA. He will say (_imitating_ MR. BAXTER), "Oh--er--oh--er-- really." Then you'll smile very sweetly and say, "I beg your pardon, was it Mr_. BAXTER_?" And he'll say, "Yes!" and you'll say, "Oh, I beg your pardon, sir; _this_ way, please." BETTY. Yes, ma'am. BELINDA. That's right, Betty. Well now, if Mr. Devenish calls--he is the rather poetical gentleman-- BETTY. Yes, ma'am; the one who's _always_ coming here. BELINDA (_with a pleased smile_). Yes. Well, if he calls you'll say, "Not at home." BETTY. Yes, ma'am. BELINDA. He'll immediately (_extending her arms descriptively_) throw down his bunch of flowers and dive despairingly into the moat. You'll stop him, just as he is going in, and say, "I beg your pardon, sir, was it Mr_. DEVENISH_?" And he will say, "Yes!" and you will say, "Oh, I beg your pardon, sir; _this_ way, please." BETTY. Yes, ma'am. And suppose they both call together? BELINDA (_non-plussed for a moment_). We won't suppose anything so exciting, Betty. BETTY. No, ma'am. And suppose any other gentleman calls? BELINDA (_with a sigh_). There aren't any other gentlemen. BETTY. It might be a clergyman, come to ask for a subscription like. BELINDA. If it's a clergyman, Betty, I shall--I shall want your assistance out of the hammock first. BETTY. Yes, ma'am. BELINDA. That's all. (BETTY _crosses below table and chairs to porch_.) To anybody else I'm not at home, (_Trying to secure book on table and nearly falling out of the hammock_.) Oh, just give me that little green book. (_Pointing to books on the table_.) The one at the bottom there--that's the one. (BETTY _gives it to her_.) Thank you. (_Reading the title_.) "The Lute of Love," by Claude Devenish. (_To herself as she turns the pages_.) It doesn't seem much for half-a-crown when you think of the _Daily Telegraph_ .... Lute ... Lute .... I should have quite a pretty mouth if I kept on saying that. (_With a great deal of expression_.) Lute! (_She pats her mouth back_.) BETTY. Is that all, ma'am? BELINDA. That's all. (BETTY _prepares to go_.) Oh, what am I thinking of! (_Waving to the table_.) I want that review; I think it's the blue one. (_As_ BETTY _begins to look_.) It has an article by Mr. Baxter on the "Rise of Lunacy in the Eastern Counties"-- (BETTY _gives her "The Nineteenth Century" Magazine_.) --yes, that's the one. I'd better have that too; I'm just at the most exciting place. You shall have it after _me, _Betty. BETTY. Is that all, ma'am? BELINDA. Yes, that really is all. (BETTY _goes into the house_.)