FARADAY. (_Crossing to_ AUNT IDA. _Sternly_) Not again, Ida, not again. (AUNT IDA _relapses into a state of semi-oblivion_.) SMITH. It's not nearly ended yet. STEELE. Well, she has had over two hours to hear it in. SMITH. (_Scornfully_) Two hours? It was a long message. He lay for _weeks_ on his sickbed gazing across the thatched roofs of Berbera to--watching---- RALEIGH. Oh, yes, watching the Arab cows feeding at their anchors. SMITH. Dhows, man, dhows! RALEIGH. Well, dhows or cows, I don't care. And as for Smith, I tell you, I am fed with the fellow. (CELIA _explodes into laughter, covers her face with handkerchief, and sits_ R. _of table_.) STEELE. (_Thinking_ CELIA _is crying_) You brute! You--you blundering idiot! TARVER. (_Coming down_ R. _of_ CELIA) Even now he's dead, he's kept you from the concert to-night. My agent told me that we just shouldn't do it. He expects I will lose by a hundred votes. FARADAY. How's that? CELIA. (_Looking up quickly_) Oh, no, Bobby, it's not too late. We'll help you. (_Rises and crosses to_ SMITH, _who is_ R.) SMITH. I am at your service, Miss Faraday. TARVER. (_To_ SMITH, _eagerly_) And you're some good--aren't you? (_Goes up to_ PHYLLIS, _back_ C.) FARADAY. We may call on you later, Vavasour. SMITH. Do. Do. FARADAY. (_Taking_ ADMIRAL _by the arm and going_) Come along, Admiral. Come and have a cigar and we'll talk it over. (_Spoken off stage_ R.) Smith or no Smith, we must win this seat. TARVER. (_Taking_ PHYLLIS' _arm_) Madge--Evelyn. Let's go and count the names of the hundred beasts who won't vote for me. (PHYLLIS _and_ TARVER _and_ MADGE _move to door_ C. _and exit_ R.) EVELYN. (_Who has moved up to door, turns in door. Coquettishly to_ STEELE _and_ RALEIGH) I'm afraid I can't count--without some big, strong man to help me. RALEIGH. (_Looking round_) Ask Steele. He took all the 'rithmetic prizes at his kindergarten. STEELE. (_Looking round_) I'll come in one minute, Lady Trenchard. There's something on my program I _must_ show to Miss Faraday. (_Indicating program_.) EVELYN. (_At door_) Well--! When Celia has quite done with _all_ of you---- (_Exit rapidly_.) (_Clock chimes half hour. A moment after_ EVELYN _has gone off, she presumably switches off lights in room off_ C.--_then third border is put out and no light except glow from fire remains. The doors remain wide open_.) RALEIGH. Half past ten! I thought Colonel Vavasour's train left at ten, Miss Faraday. CELIA. (_Confused_) Oh, did it? SMITH. (_Coolly_) Well, didn't it? And in any case, Mr. Faraday's clock is wrong. STEELE. (_Taking out his watch_) Wrong? Not a bit of it. RALEIGH. (_Also takes out his watch_) I make it ten thirty-two. (_Ironically_) Perhaps your watch will correct me, Colonel Vavasour.