[_At the door._] Risk it? JIMMIE. If Nicko knows you were the cause of his being shut out of the party last night, he'll simply throttle you. ROPER. [_Opening the door._] Throttle _me_! [_Formidably._] Throttle Lal Roper----! [_He disappears, closing the door, as MAUD enters from the bedroom with a pair of shoes._ LILY. [_Weakly._] Oh! Oh! Oh! Get me something to keep these up with. JIMMIE. [_To MAUD._] Ribbon---- MRS. UPJOHN. [_Snatching the shoes from MAUD._] Ribbon. [_MAUD opens one of the drawers underneath the further cupboard on the left and finds a roll of bright, new ribbon, while JIMMIE, searching among the objects on the centre table, discovers the case of manicure instruments and takes from it a pair of scissors._ LILY. [_Putting on her shoes-- to MRS. UPJOHN._] No, no; that's the left foot-- oh----! MRS. UPJOHN. Don't agitate yourself, dearie. Mother's _'ere_. [_MAUD comes to the centre table with the ribbon and JIMMIE cuts off two lengths from the roll._ MAUD. [_To JIMMIE._] Morning, Miss Jimmie! JIMMIE. [_To MAUD._] Morning! LILY. [_To MRS. UPJOHN._] Where's the mirror? Where's the mirror? MRS. UPJOHN. [_Taking the mirror from the table and giving it to LILY._] 'Ere it is, dearie; 'ere it is. An' _I'm_ 'ere too. LILY. [_Viewing herself in the mirror and running her hand over her hair._] Oh, how horrid I look! [_JIMMIE goes to LILY with the two lengths of ribbon and MAUD replaces the roll in the drawer._] Ring the bell. [_JIMMIE hands LILY the garters, relieving her of the mirror, and MRS. UPJOHN hastens to the fireplace and presses the bell-push continuously._] That'll do, Maud; _you_ hook it. MAUD. [_Going to the bedroom door._] Ha, ha, ha! Ho, ho, ho! That's how I like to hear her talk. Ha, ha, ha, ha! [_MAUD vanishes into the bedroom, closing the door, and LILY, having tied up her stockings, rises and comes to the settee._ MRS. UPJOHN. [_Still pressing the bell-push._] _Now_ I don't believe I've rung. LILY. [_At the uttermost tension._] Ah, stop it, mother; stop it! [_Sitting on the settee._] We're not calling the fire-brigade. JIMMIE. [_At the back of the settee, to LILY._] I'll wait in your bedroom till the men have been shown up, and sneak out that way. [_Bending over LILY._] Mind! If Nicko _is_ willing, after all, that you should make your choice---- MRS. UPJOHN. [_Advancing._] Yes, dearie, if 'e _is_ willing---- LILY. [_Frantically._] I tell you I _have_ made it. I keep on telling you _I've chosen-- I've chosen-- I've chosen!_ [_Clenching her hands._] If you torment me any more, either of you----! [_MRS. UPJOHN and JIMMIE retreat precipitately to the bedroom door. They open the door and then, standing in the doorway, listen intently._ JIMMIE. [_Disappearing._] Ah----! MRS. UPJOHN. [_Partially disappearing._] Ah--! [_Only her head visible, speaking to LILY in a hoarse whisper._] Mother's _'ere_, dearie.