Conscience of woman! What are you talking about? I've known a good many women in my time, and they hadn't a conscience amongst 'em! There's only one thing can awaken the conscience of woman, and that is being found out. GERALD. I am speaking of innocent women. COLONEL. I never met one. GERALD. Yet---- COLONEL. Tut, tut, sir; read your Bible. Who was it had the first bite at the apple? And she's been nibbling at it ever since! GERALD. Well, well, uncle, you don't often come to see me; so we won't argue. Can I prevail on you to stay to tea? COLONEL. To stay to _what,_ sir? GERALD. Tea. At five o'clock, I have a few friends coming. Mrs. Sylvester--[_SYLVESTER puts down photograph and turns_]--Miss Bethune--Miss Vivash---- SYLVESTER. And Dr. Mary Bevan? GERALD. Yes, I expect Miss Bevan. COLONEL. "Naked and Unashamed?" GERALD. They may bring Percy with them. COLONEL. Percy? GERALD. Percy Pettigrew. COLONEL. A man? An actual man? A bull amongst that china? SYLVESTER. Well, hardly! COLONEL. You know him, Sylvester? SYLVESTER. They bring him to our house. GERALD. Nobody has done more for the Advancement of Woman. SYLVESTER. By making a public exhibition of the Decay of Man. GERALD. Sylvester, you're a Philistine. I won't ask you to stay. SYLVESTER. Man the Betrayer might be dangerous, amongst such foolish virgins. COLONEL. The danger would be all the other way. I am not sorry _I_ shall have protection. My sister, Caroline, will be here at five. GERALD. Aunt Caroline! [_A little nervously._] COLONEL. I came to announce her visit. SYLVESTER. Lady Wargrave has returned to England? COLONEL. After ten years' absence. She has been travelling for her health, which was never too robust; and since Sir Oriel's death, she has been more or less a wanderer. GERALD. I knew she had arrived, but I postponed presenting myself till I was summoned. My aunt has the kindest of hearts---- COLONEL. A heart of gold, sir. GERALD. And a pocket too. Nobody knows that better than I do. Since my parents' death, she has been father and mother, as well as aunt, to me. But there was always something about aunt that made one keep one's distance. COLONEL [_in a milder voice than he has yet used_]. And there is still, Gerald. GERALD. Then I'm glad I've kept mine. COLONEL. You acted very wisely; I happen to know she wished her arrival kept secret and to descend upon you like a _dea ex machinâ._ Caroline always had a sense of dramatic effect. But how the deuce did you know of her return? GERALD. Oh, very simply. Margery told me. COLONEL. Margery! GERALD. Aunt wrote to summon her to resume her duties. COLONEL. But Margery's at Mapledurham. Caroline was stopping with some friends in Paris, and Margery was sent on to her father's. GERALD. Six weeks ago. COLONEL. Why, you know all about it. GERALD.