RALEIGH. How that fellow Steele does give himself away. Silly ass! (_Goes_ R. _to_ CELIA.) I must say, Miss Faraday, that I think you are absolutely right to stay away from the Admiral's. The way that old man dogs your footsteps is positively revolting, but--(_With insinuating smile, kneeling on stool below sofa. Fatuously_)--but you might come on to the Philharmonic Concert afterwards. Don't you think so? (_Laughs idiotically_.) Don't you think so? CELIA. (_Shaking her head sadly_) Not to-night, Mr. Raleigh. Not to-night. (_Exits_ R.IE.) RALEIGH. Oh, very well. It's about time for me to be getting along. (_Crosses quickly to door_ L.) I shall see you all at the Admiral's, (_Exits quickly, closing door_.) FARADAY. God bless my soul! I thought he came to give some of us a lift. MADGE _and_ EVELYN. Why, yes. (AUNT IDA _enters quickly through morning room and comes down_ R.C., _looking about her_.) AUNT IDA. (_Gayly_) Hope I am not last. FARADAY. Well, you are. (PHYLLIS _and_ TARVER _enter_, TARVER _in evening dress with his hat and overcoat and atlas_. PHYLLIS _with her wraps_. TARVER _goes to head of table_ R. _and studies his atlas_. PHYLLIS _sits on fender_.) AUNT IDA. (_Looking about and fastening her gloves_) Well, Celia is not down yet. MADGE. Celia isn't coming. AUNT IDA. What! (SMITH _comes down stage to_ L. _of_ AUNT IDA.) FARADAY. (_Coming down_ L.C. _with_ SMITH) Ida, this is Colonel Vavasour. My sister-in-law, Mrs. Chisholm Faraday. (_To_ SMITH) Who has been, I may say, more than a mother to our poor Celia through all this, more than a mother. SMITH. I am delighted to make your acquaintance. (_Shakes her warmly by the hand_.) Friends of Miss Faraday have a claim upon me which can never be obliterated from my mind. AUNT IDA. (_Briskly_) I am sure it is very pleasant to know that. But why? (SMITH C., AUNT IDA _to his right_.) FARADAY. Colonel Vavasour has just returned from Somaliland. AUNT IDA. (_In horror_) What!! MADGE. From Somaliland. AUNT IDA. (_Involuntarily_) But why did he do that? (SMITH _looks at_ FARADAY.) FARADAY. Eh?--I don't think you understand, Ida. Colonel Vavasour is here--I may say--on an errand of mercy. He brings us news of our poor--gallant--lost friend--Smith. AUNT IDA. S-S-Smith--? FARADAY. Colonel Smith. MADGE. Celia's Colonel Smith. TARVER. (_Coming_ C. _at back with atlas, beckoning to_ FARADAY, _who joins him, and together they look over the atlas_, FARADAY _explaining something to_ TARVER) Colonel Vavasour knew him quite well. AUNT IDA. (_In awestruck voice_) You--knew--the--Co--Co--Colonel? SMITH. My dearest friend. I bring to Miss Faraday a few trinkets he habitually wore and his last dying message.