CAMILLE. I am sure she will be veree grateful for the poor little beggars. Madame says she will not be coming to lunch, Monsieur. BUILDER. I don't want any, either. Tell Topping I'll have some coffee. CAMILLE. Topping has gone to the dentist, Monsieur; 'e 'as the toothache. BUILDER. Toothache--poor devil! H'm! I'm expecting my brother, but I don't know that I can see him. CAMILLE. No, Monsieur? BUILDER. Ask your mistress to come here. He looks up, and catching her eye, looks away. CAMILLE. Yes, Monsieur. As she turns he looks swiftly at her, sweeping her up and down. She turns her head and catches his glance, which is swiftly dropped. Will Monsieur not 'ave anything to eat? BUILDER. [Shaking his head-abruptly] No. Bring the coffee! CAMILLE. Is Monsieur not well? BUILDER. Yes--quite well. CAMILLE. [Sweetening her eyes] A cutlet soubise? No? BUILDER. [With a faint response in his eyes, instantly subdued] Nothing! nothing! CAMILLE. And Madame nothing too--Tt! Tt! With her hand on the door she looks back, again catches his eyes in an engagement instantly broken off, and goes out. BUILDER. [Stock-still, and staring at the door] That girl's a continual irritation to me! She's dangerous! What a life! I believe that girl-- The door Left is opened and MRS BUILDER comes in. BUILDER. There's some coffee coming; do your head good. Look here, Julia. I'm sorry I beat on that door. I apologize. I was in a towering passion. I wish I didn't get into these rages. But--dash it all--! I couldn't walk away and leave you there. MRS BUILDER. Why not? BUILDER. You keep everything to yourself, so; I never have any notion what you're thinking. What did you say to her? MRS BUILDER. Told her it would never work. BUILDER. Well, that's something. She's crazy. D'you suppose she was telling the truth about that young blackguard wanting to marry her? MRS BUILDER. I'm sure of it. BUILDER. When you think of how she's been brought up. You would have thought that religion alone-- MRS BUILDER. The girls haven't wanted to go to church for years. They've always said they didn't see why they should go to keep up your position. I don't know if you remember that you once caned them for running off on a Sunday morning. BUILDER. Well? MRS BUILDER. They've never had any religion since. BUILDER. H'm! [He takes a short turn up the room] What's to be done about Athene? MRS BUILDER. You said you had done with her. BUILDER. You know I didn't mean that. I might just as well have said I'd done with you! Apply your wits, Julia! At any moment this thing may come out. In a little town like this you can keep nothing dark. How can I take this nomination for Mayor? MRS BUILDER. Perhaps Ralph could help. BUILDER. What? His daughters have never done anything disgraceful, and his wife's a pattern. MRS BUILDER. Yes; Ralph isn't at all a family man.