Lady Skewes and I are getting up a concert in aid of the poor sufferers from the earthquake in--what's the name of the place?--I forget--Lady Skewes knows it--and we want you to say a lot about us in your darling paper. Only distinguished amateurs; that's where the novelty comes in. Lady Skewes is going to play the violin, if she can pull herself together--she hasn't played for centuries--[_seeing_ PHILIP, _advancing, and shaking hands with him casually_] how d'ye do?--[_to_ GREEN] and _I've_ promised to sing. GREEN. Splendid. ROOPE. But how captivating! MRS. QUEBEC. [_To_ GREEN.] I've sung so seldom since my marriage, and they've had _such_ a difficulty to lure me out of my tiny wee shell. Would you mind dwelling on that a little? GREEN. Of course not; anything I can do, deah lady---- MRS. QUEBEC. That's too utterly sweet of you. You shall have full particulars to-morrow. I wouldn't bother you, but it's charity, isn't it? Oh, and there's something else I want you to be kind over----! [NOYES _returns._ NOYES. Mrs. Godfrey Anslow. [_The_ HON. MRS. GODFREY ANSLOW _enters and_ NOYES _goes out again._ MRS. ANSLOW. [_A tall, languishing woman with a toneless drawl--to_ ROOPE.] Am I late? ROOPE. [_Pressing her hand._] Not a second, my _very_ dear friend. MRS. ANSLOW. Can't help it if I am. My car got smashed up last week in Roehampton Lane, and the motor people have lent me the original ark, on wheels. [MRS. QUEBEC _comes to her._] Hullo, Esme! MRS. QUEBEC. [_Shaking hands._] How'r you, Millicent? MRS. ANSLOW. [_Going to_ GREEN _and giving him her hand._] Oh, and here's that horrid Mr. Green! GREEN. My deah Mrs. Anslow! MRS. QUEBEC. Horrid! What's he done? [_Sitting in the chair by the small table._] I consider him a white-robed angel. MRS. ANSLOW. I sent him a long account of my accident at Roehampton and he hasn't condescended to take the slightest notice of it. MRS. QUEBEC. Oh, Mr. Green! MRS. ANSLOW. [_To_ GREEN.] It's cruel of you. GREEN. [_To_ MRS. ANSLOW, _twiddling his moustache._] Alack and alas, deah lady, motor collisions are not quite in my line! MRS. ANSLOW. You might have passed it on to the accident man. Or you could have said that I'm to be seen riding in the Row evidently none the worse for my recent shock. _That's_ in your line. GREEN.