I see him at it. EARL OF DRUMDURRIS. He consumes enough coffee to put a fire out. LADY TWOMBLEY. Yes; and he swoops down on a cold bird like a vulture. EARL OF DRUMDURRIS. It's hideous to see him hurl himself at an omelette. LADY TWOMBLEY. I know; and with eggs he's a conjurer. What's he engaged on now? EARL OF DRUMDURRIS. When I left him he was an unrecognizable mass of marmalade. He must go! LADY TWOMBLEY. Don't disregard the sacred laws of hospitality! EARL OF DRUMDURRIS. I must. At another time I might endure him, but now when I am utterly crushed by my own agonizing trouble---- Hark! LADY TWOMBLEY. What's the matter? EARL OF DRUMDURRIS. My son. [ANGELE appears with the infant.] ANGELE. [Mysteriously.] Is it alright, milord? EARL OF DRUMDURRIS. Hush! [To LADY TWOMBLEY.] Is Egidia there? [SIR JULIAN and LADY EUPHEMIA re-enter.] LADY TWOMBLEY. No. [LADY TWOMBLEY joins SIR JULIAN and LADY EUPHEMIA.] EARL OF DRUMDURRIS. [To ANGELE.] All right. [Fondly to the infant.] My soldier boy! [ANGELE advances to DRUMDURRIS. He produces a small toy gun and a little drum from a box he carries and hands them to ANGELE.] Don't let Lady Drumdurris discover these. ANGELE. No. EARL OF DRUMDURRIS. Above all, let the drum be muffled. ANGELE. Yees, milord. [EGIDIA enters.] EARL OF DRUMDURRIS. I expect some small cannon by the evening post. Go. [EGIDIA comes between ANGELE and DRUMDURRIS, the DOWAGER following.] EARL OF DRUMDURRIS. Ah! ANGELE. Oh, miladi! EGIDIA. I am right, then. [She takes the toys from ANGELE and points to the door. ANGELE withdraws with the infant.] DOWAGER. Keith--Egidia! Don't disagree here! EGIDIA. [To DRUMDURRIS.] I was loth to credit you with such treachery. DOWAGER. Name some convenient hour to disagree this afternoon. I will willingly be present. EGIDIA. I have long suspected this conspiracy to anticipate my son's mature judgment. Keith, there is a gulf between us which can never be bridged over. [EGIDIA joins the others.] EARL OF DRUMDURRIS. Mother, my life is wasted. [VALENTINE, roughly dressed in cords and gaiters, enters, followed by BROOKE.] VALENTINE WHITE. Are you ready, Lord Drumdurris? EARL OF DRUMDURRIS. We are waiting, I presume, for Mr. Lebanon. BROOKE TWOMBLEY. I'll go and stir him up. Ugh! What! [BROOKE goes out.] EARL OF DRUMDURRIS. You'll not join us, Sir Julian? SIR JULIAN TWOMBLEY. I daren't. Melton has arrived from town with a mass of papers for my signature. [Quietly to DRUMDURRIS.] The Rajputana Canal Question is wearing me out. VALENTINE WHITE. [Whispering to IMOGEN.] I have your note. I'll return in a few minutes. MR. JOSEPH LEBANON. [Outside.] Shootin', my dear sir! When I was in the South 'Ampstead Artillery I could have shown you what shootin' was. MRS. GAYLUSTRE. There's Jo. [She goes out to meet LEBANON.] ALL. [With various expressions of disgust.] Ugh! that man!