TARVER. (_Coming down_ R. _to door_) Well, you see, I am worn to a shadow, and Phyllis and I thought---- FARADAY. (_Coming_ C.) Oh, you did! Did you? You get elected first, my lad, and think afterwards. TARVER. Oh, I say! FARADAY. Phyllis and Tarver shall dine with Admiral Grice. PHYLLIS. But, Father---- FARADAY. Celia and Colonel Vavasour shall stay behind and eat _their_ dinner. TARVER. You don't know how I need a rest. CELIA. Yes, Father, Bobby is very tired. SMITH. As for myself, and I know a great deal about elections, I think it would be extremely prejudical if Mr. Tarver didn't go. FARADAY. Then that settles it. (TARVER _exits_ R.IE., _looking back belligerently at_ COLONEL VAVASOUR. EVELYN _in dumb show tells_ PHYLLIS _to get her wraps, and_ PHYLLIS _flounces out through morning room_.) MARTIN. (_Entering_ L.I _and announcing_) Mr. Steele and Mr. Raleigh. (RALEIGH _comes_ C. _quickly to_ FARADAY. STEELE, _shaking hands first with_ EVELYN, _then stepping back and shaking hands with_ MADGE, _speaks from_ L. _of_ MADGE _near door_.) STEELE. How do you do, Mr. Faraday? FARADAY. Good evening, boys. STEELE. We have both, I believed, arrived with the same idea. We are all going to the dinner party, aren't we? I have my mother's brougham and, since you are rather a large party--(_Looking across at_ CELIA)--I thought I might be allowed to give _some one_ a lift. RALEIGH. _I_ have come in _my own motor car_, and since you are rather a large party--(_Also looking pointedly at_ CELIA)--I thought I might be allowed to give some one a lift. FARADAY. It is very kind of you boys to think of us. We shall be a little bit squeezed. We _are_ rather a large party, though Celia is not going. STEELE _and_ RALEIGH. (_Disappointedly_) Not going? FARADAY. No. Colonel Smith is dead. (STEELE _and_ RALEIGH _turn away and a slow smile breaks over their faces_.) This is Colonel Vavasour. (STEELE _and_ RALEIGH _eye_ SMITH _with interest_.) He knew Colonel Smith. SMITH. (L. _of table_ R.) His dearest friend. I bring his last dying message. (CELIA _rises from sofa, glances at_ SMITH _and goes up to doorway_ R.) He used to lie on his sickbed, gazing across the thatched roofs of Berbera to the Arab dhows riding at their anchors in the sea. (CELIA _comes down_ R. _of sofa_.) STEELE. I am sure that must be very affecting, but it will be extremely bad for the cause if Miss Faraday stays at home to-night, and this is a time when it doesn't do for any of us to be selfish. You'll come, won't you, Miss Faraday? FARADAY, (C.) Certainly not. SMITH. (R.C.) It would really be almost indecent to press Miss Faraday to go. (SMITH _and_ FARADAY _turn up stage_.) STEELE. (_Slightly piqued_) Oh, very well. Then as I can't do anything for anyone, I suppose I had better be getting along. (_Exits_ L.IE. _and leaves door open_.)