GERALD. No, I expect two ladies to tea in half an hour, but you must admit no one else. These gentlemen will be forced to deprive me of their society in twenty-five minutes. BLENKINSOP. Not at all. Not at all. GERALD. I repeat with considerable firmness that these gentlemen will be compelled by a previous engagement to leave me in _twenty_ minutes. BLENKINSOP. It’ll be difficult after that to make our departure seem perfectly natural, won’t it? [_A second ring is heard._ GERALD. Nobody’s to come in. CHARLES. Very good, sir. [_He goes out._ BLENKINSOP. I say, old man, I’m awfully sorry to hear this bad news of yours. Can’t I do anything to help you? GERALD. No, thanks. [_The bell is rung continuously, with the greatest impatience._ FREDDIE. By Jove, whoever your visitor is, he doesn’t like being kept waiting. MRS. DOT. [_Outside._] Is Mr. Halstane at home? FREDDIE. [_Softly._] Why, it’s my aunt. BLENKINSOP. Mrs. Dot. GERALD. Ssh! CHARLES. Not at home, madam. MRS. DOT. [_Outside._] Nonsense. I want to see him very particularly. CHARLES. I’m very sorry, madam. Mr. Halstane went out not five minutes ago. I almost wonder you didn’t meet him on the stairs. MRS. DOT. Yes, I know all about that. [MRS. WORTHLEY _comes in. She is a pretty little woman, very wonderfully gowned. She is frank, open and full of spirits._ CHARLES _follows her into the room_. MRS. DOT. Oh! Three of you. Charles, how can you tell such stories? CHARLES. [_Very gravely._] Mr. Halstane is _not_ at home, madam. GERALD. [_Coming forward and taking her hand._] Charles is shocked at your lack of decorum. MRS. DOT. Run away, Charles. And don’t do it again.... I suppose you think this sort of thing isn’t done in the best families? CHARLES. [_Stiffly._] No, madam. MRS. DOT. I saw one of my drays outside, so I thought I’d just look in to see how you liked it. CHARLES. [_Icily._] I beg your pardon, madam? MRS. DOT. The beer, my good man, the beer! Don’t you know that I’m _Worthley’s Entire_? CHARLES. I never gave the subject a thought, madam. MRS. DOT. And very good our half-crown family ale is, although I say it as shouldn’t. GERALD. You may go, Charles. [_Without a word, much on his dignity_ CHARLES _departs_. GERALD. [_Gaily._] It’s fortunate I’ve just given him notice, because Charles would certainly never stay in a house where he’d been so grossly insulted. MRS. DOT. I love shocking Charles. He’s so genteel. Whenever I come here I see him obviously trying not to show that he’s perfectly well aware that I have anything to do with trade. BLENKINSOP. The world is so degenerate that it’s only among domestic servants that you find any respect for landed gentry and any contempt for commerce. MRS. DOT. [_To_ FREDDIE.] I’m glad to see that you’re not ruining your health by working too hard as my secretary. FREDDIE.