LADY MACPHAIL. The dance! Aye! To-morrow night they shall see a Macphail lead the Strathspey with the girl who is to be his bride! IMOGEN. No, indeed they won't! LADY MACPHAIL. What! IMOGEN. I can't make myself so supremely ridiculous. LADY MACPHAIL. Ridiculous! LADY EUPHEMIA VIBART. Oh, Imogen! DOWAGER. Imogen! LADY TWOMBLEY. Imogen! SIR JULIAN TWOMBLEY. My dear! [LADY MACPHAIL closes her eyes. SIR JULIAN and the DOWAGER take her hands.] SIR JULIAN TWOMBLEY and DOWAGER. My dear Lady Macphail! LADY EUPHEMIA VIBART. Here is Sir Colin! DOWAGER and SIR JULIAN TWOMBLEY. Ah! LADY MACPHAIL. My boy! LADY EUPHEMIA VIBART. Why, he is with Mrs. Gaylustre! SIR JULIAN TWOMBLEY. That woman! DOWAGER. That woman! LADY TWOMBLEY. That woman! IMOGEN. That woman! [MACPHAIL enters with MRS. GAYLUSTRE, he in Highland dress, she wearing a showy costume of tweed tartan with a Scotch bonnet.] LADY MACPHAIL. Colin, lad! MACPHAIL. Eh, mother? MRS. GAYLUSTRE. Dear Sir Colin gave me his arm to the top of Ben-Auchter. DOWAGER and LADY MACPHAIL. To the top of Ben-Auchter! MACPHAIL. [With an anxious glance at MRS. GAYLUSTRE.] Just to see the sun rise. DOWAGER. [Quietly to SIR JULIAN.] Julian, that's scandalous! LADY MACPHAIL. I thought you always witnessed the sun rise alone, Colin. MACPHAIL. As a rule, mother. DOWAGER. [To herself.] That woman has a motive. LADY MACPHAIL. [Pointing to IMOGEN.] My son, look--here is Imogen. MACPHAIL. [To IMOGEN.] Good-morning. LADY MACPHAIL. Colin, lad, don't you guess? MACPHAIL. No, mother. LADY MACPHAIL. [Rapturously.] Now let the worn banner of the Macphail be run up on the crumbling tower of Castle Ballocheevin! MACPHAIL. [Vacantly.] For what reason, mother? LADY MACPHAIL. Now let the shriek of the wild birds sound on the shores of Loch-na-Doich! MACPHAIL. Why? LADY MACPHAIL. [Embracing MACPHAIL.] Imogen is to be your bride. MACPHAIL. [Blankly.] Oh! [SIR JULIAN, the DOWAGER, and LADY EUPHEMIA congratulate him.] SIR JULIAN TWOMBLEY. Most gratified! DOWAGER. I have a mother's yearnings toward you. LADY EUPHEMIA VIBART. We are _too_ rejoiced! MRS. GAYLUSTRE. [To herself.] They've hooked him! LADY MACPHAIL. [Bringing MACPHAIL down.] Hush! Speak to her, Colin, lad. Let her hear how a Macphail greets the woman of his choice. [LADY MACPHAIL joins SIR JULIAN, the DOWAGER, and LADY EUPHEMIA, while they all watch MACPHAIL as he approaches IMOGEN.] LADY MACPHAIL. Listen! MACPHAIL. [To IMOGEN.] Er--I'm very much obliged to ye. LADY MACPHAIL. Bravely spoken! DOWAGER. A grand nature! IMOGEN. Thank you, Sir Colin. [She joins the others.] MRS. GAYLUSTRE. [To MACPHAIL, seizing his hand.] May your life be very, very blissful! MACPHAIL. [Uneasily, withdrawing his hand.] Mother's looking. [He joins the rest.] MRS. GAYLUSTRE.