_Nora_: "He's got the whole bottle full of them yet." _Miss Ramsey_: "Full yet?" _Nora_: "You wouldn't let him offer them to the gentlemen he had to lunch, last week, because you said--" _Miss Ramsey_: "What did I say?" _Nora_: "They were vulgar." _Miss Ramsey_: "And so they are. And so much the better! Bring the cigarettes and the bottle and some glasses here, Nora, and then ask Mr. Ashley to come." She walks away to the window, and hurriedly hums a musical comedy waltz, not quite in tune, as from not remembering exactly, and after Nora has tinkled in with a tray of glasses she lights a cigarette and stands puffing it, gasping and coughing a little, as Walter Ashley enters. "Oh, Mr. Ashley! Sorry to make you wait." V MR. ASHLEY, MISS RAMSEY _Mr. Ashley_: "The time _has_ seemed long, but I could have waited all day. I couldn't have gone without seeing you, and telling you--" He pauses, as if bewildered at the spectacle of Miss Ramsey's resolute practice with the cigarette, which she now takes from her lips and waves before her face with innocent recklessness. _Miss Ramsey_, chokingly: "Do sit down." She drops into an easy-chair beside the tea-table, and stretches the tips of her feet out beyond the hem of her skirt in extremely lady-like abandon. "Have a cigarette." She reaches the box to him. _Ashley_: "Thank you. I won't smoke, I believe." He stands frowning, while she throws her cigarette into a teacup and lights another. _Miss Ramsey_: "I thought everybody smoked. Then have a cocktail." _Ashley_: "A what?" _Miss Ramsey_: "A cocktail. So many people like them with their tea, instead of rum, you know." _Ashley_: "No, I didn't know." He regards her with amaze, rapidly hardening into condemnation. _Miss Ramsey_: "I hope you don't _object_ to smoking. Englishwomen all smoke." _Ashley_: "I think I've heard. I didn't know that American ladies did." _Miss Ramsey_: "They don't, _all_. But they will when they find how nice it is." _Ashley_: "And do Englishwomen all drink cocktails?" _Miss Ramsey_: "They will when they find how nice it is. But why do you keep standing? Sit down, if it's only for a moment. There is something I would like to talk with you about. What were you saying when you came in? I didn't catch it quite." _Ashley_: "Nothing--now--" _Miss Ramsey_: "And I can't persuade you to have a cocktail? I believe I'll have another myself." She takes up the bottle, and tries several times to pour from it. "I do believe Nora's forgotten to open it! That is a good joke on me. But I mustn't let her know. Do you happen to have a pocket-corkscrew with you, Mr. Ashley?" _Ashley_: "No--"