SCENE II.--_The Morning Room at Wyvern._ Lady RHODA COKAYNE, Mrs. BROOKE-CHATTERIS, _and_ Miss VIVIEN SPELWANE _are comfortably established near the fireplace. The_ Hon. BERTIE PILLINER, Captain THICKNESSE, _and_ ARCHIE BEARPARK _have just drifted in._ _Miss Spelwane._ Why, you _don't_ mean to say you've torn yourselves away from your beloved billiards already? _Quite_ wonderful! _Bertie Pilliner._ It's too _horrid_ of you to leave us to play all by ourselves! We've all got so cross and fractious we've come in here to be petted! [_He arranges himself at her feet, so as to exhibit a very neat pair of silk socks and pumps._ _Captain Thicknesse_ (_to himself_). Do hate to see a fellow come down in the mornin' with evenin' shoes on! _Archie Bearpark_ (_to_ BERTIE PILLINER). You speak for yourself, PILLINER. _I_ didn't come to be petted. Came to see if Lady RHODA wouldn't come and toboggan down the big staircase on a tea-tray. _Do!_ It's clinkin' sport! _Capt. Thick._ (_to himself_). If there's one thing I _can't_ stand it's a rowdy bullyraggin' ass like ARCHIE! _Lady Rhoda._ Ta muchly, dear boy, but you don't catch me travellin' downstairs on a tea-tray _twice_--it's just a bit _too_ clinkin', don't you know! _Archie_ (_disappointed_). Why, there 's a mat at the bottom of the stairs! Well, if you won't, let's get up a cushion fight, then. BERTIE and I will choose sides. PILLINER, I'll toss you for first pick up--come out of that, do. _Bertie_ (_lazily_). Thanks, I'm much too comfy where I am. And I don't see any point in romping and rumpling one's hair just before lunch. _Archie._ Well, you _are_ slack. And there's a good hour still before lunch. THICKNESSE, _you_ suggest something, there's a dear old chap. _Capt. Thick._ (_after a mental effort_). Suppose we all go and have another look round at the gees--eh, what? _Bertie._ I beg to oppose. Do let's show _some_ respect for the privacy of the British hunter. Why should I go and smack them on their fat backs, and feel every one of their horrid legs twice in one morning? I shouldn't like a horse coming into my bedroom at all hours to smack _me_ on the back. I should _hate_ it! _Mrs. Brooke-Chatteris._ I love them--dear things! But still, it's so wet, and it would mean going up and changing our shoes too--perhaps Lady RHODA---- [Lady RHODA _flatly declines to stir before lunch_. _Capt. Thick._ (_resentfully_). Only thought it was better than loafin' about, that's all. (_To himself._) I do bar a woman who's afraid of a little mud. (_He saunters up to_ Miss SPELWANE _and absently pulls the ear of a Japanese spaniel on her knee._) Poo' little fellow, then! _Miss Spelw._ Poor little fellow? On My lap!!! _Capt. Thick._ Oh, it--ah--didn't occur to me that he was on _your_ lap. He don't seem to mind _that_. _Miss Spelw._ No? _How_ forbearing of him! Would you mind not standing quite so much in my light, I can't see my work.