AUNT IDA. (_Seriously_) I never would have helped you send that notice to the Times, Celia, if--if--oh, dear. (_Breaks down and laughs. Severely_) Oh, but I consider your whole attitude _most_ immoral. CELIA. (_Meekly_) Yes, Aunt Ida. I admit my behavior has been shocking and what a contrast to his. (_Laughs_.) AUNT IDA. (_Reprovingly_) Celia! CELIA. Poor Colonel Smith! What harm has he ever done? Was ever a career more blameless? He lifted me down from the shelf. _Dear Colonel Smith!_ He died just at the right moment. _Dear_ Colonel Smith. Oh, you know he was a true soldier. He did his work in silence. Well, peace to his ashes. Dear Colonel Smith! Good gracious, dear, it's getting late. It's time to dress for dinner. (_She seizes_ AUNT IDA _by the arm, gayly whirls her around, crosses and gets her muff from table_.) (_Enter_ PHYLLIS _through morning room_ R. _Runs down_ R. _of sofa, calling, "Celia." They resume attitudes of grief_. AUNT IDA _exits through morning room, holding her handkerchief to her eyes_.) PHYLLIS. (_Comes_ C. _to_ CELIA) Celia! CELIA. Yes, dear. PHYLLIS. I want you to help me. Bobby is frightfully tired. Don't you think that he and I could cut the Admiral's dinner party and dine quietly at home here? You could make it all right with the Admiral, Celia. (_Enter_ MARTIN, _with salver and card_, L.IE., _leaves door open_.) CELIA. I'll try, dear. Martin, there will be two for dinner after all. PHYLLIS. And may we dine in the little morning room here? (_Indicating morning room_.) CELIA. In the morning room? PHYLLIS. It will be more snug. CELIA. Oh, very well, then, Martin. Dinner in the morning room. (MARTIN _offers card to_ CELIA.) I haven't time to see anyone now. (_Crosses_ R. _to door_) Who is it? MARTIN. Colonel James Nugent Vavasour. He was sure that you would consent to see him, Miss, when you saw this card. CELIA. Vavasour? Vavasour? It's some election business, of course. Phyllis, it's your affair, after all. Attend to it for me, won't you? PHYLLIS. Very well. (CELIA _exits_ R. MARTIN _brings the card over to_ PHYLLIS. PHYLLIS _takes card, reads it and utters a cry_) Colonel Smith! Then, then--then? (_Bewildered_) Then he is not dead. It's a mistake. (_Runs to door_ R. _as if to recall_ CELIA.) MARTIN. It is Colonel Vavasour who has called, Miss. (_Goes up to tea-table, gets tray and dishes_.) PHYLLIS. But it's Colonel Smith's card. (_Turns card over suddenly_) Oh, it is a message. (_Goes to_ L. _of table_ R., _sits and turns up the lamp_.) Written in a failing hand. (_Reads_) "_Good-bye_. Be kind to my friend, James Nugent Vavasour." (_To_ MARTIN, _who has by now collected the dishes on tray and is below table_ R.) Show Colonel Vavasour in and then ask Miss Faraday to come down as quickly as she can. Just say that it really is important. MARTIN. Yes, Miss.