ANNA. Are you sure you want me to be here? It's not too late yet, you know. I can have my things packed and catch a train for somewhere or other. ARNOLD. No, of course we want you. It'll make it so much easier if there are people here. It was exceedingly kind of you to come. ANNA. Oh, nonsense! ARNOLD. And I think it was a good thing to have Teddie Luton down. ANNA. He is so breezy, isn't he? ARNOLD. Yes, that's his great asset. I don't know that he's very intelligent, but, you know, there are occasions when you want a bull in a china shop. I sent one of the servants to find Elizabeth. ANNA. I daresay she's putting on her shoes. She and Teddie were going to have a single. ARNOLD. It can't take all this time to change one's shoes. ANNA. [_With a smile._] One can't change one's shoes without powdering one's nose, you know. [_ELIZABETH comes in. She is a very pretty creature in the early twenties. She wears a light summer frock._ ARNOLD. My dear, I've been hunting for you everywhere. What _have_ you been doing? ELIZABETH. Nothing! I've been standing on my head. ARNOLD. My father's here. ELIZABETH. [_Startled._] Where? ARNOLD. At the cottage. He arrived last night. ELIZABETH. Damn! ARNOLD. [_Good-humouredly._] I wish you wouldn't say that, Elizabeth. ELIZABETH. If you're not going to say "Damn" when a thing's damnable, when are you going to say "Damn"? ARNOLD. I should have thought you could say, "Oh, bother!" or something like that. ELIZABETH. But that wouldn't express my sentiments. Besides, at that speech day when you were giving away the prizes you said there were no synonyms in the English language. ANNA. [_Smiling._] Oh, Elizabeth! it's very unfair to expect a politician to live in private up to the statements he makes in public. ARNOLD. I'm always willing to stand by anything I've said. There _are_ no synonyms in the English language. ELIZABETH. In that case I shall be regretfully forced to continue to say "Damn" whenever I feel like it. [_EDWARD LUTON shows himself at the window. He is an attractive youth in flannels._ TEDDIE. I say, what about this tennis? ELIZABETH. Come in. We're having a scene. TEDDIE. [_Entering._] How splendid! What about? ELIZABETH. The English language. TEDDIE. Don't tell me you've been splitting your infinitives. ARNOLD. [_With the shadow of a frown._] I wish you'd be serious, Elizabeth. The situation is none too pleasant. ANNA. I think Teddie and I had better make ourselves scarce. ELIZABETH. Nonsense! You're both in it. If there's going to be any unpleasantness we want your moral support. That's why we asked you to come. TEDDIE. And I thought I'd been asked for my blue eyes. ELIZABETH. Vain beast! And they happen to be brown. TEDDIE. Is anything up? ELIZABETH. Arnold's father arrived last night. TEDDIE. Did he, by Jove! I thought he was in Paris. ARNOLD. So did we all. He told me he'd be there for the next month. ANNA. Have you seen him?