Then, what does he mean by it? Queer rooms too. [_Catching sight of the wedding-cake on the table._] Lord, look there! MALLORY. [_Looking at the cake._] Hallo! RANKLING. Why, it's like the thing we had at my wedding breakfast. Phew! I shall go. MALLORY. No, no! The fact is poor old Queckett has some nieces staying with him. RANKLING. Nieces? MALLORY. Four of 'em. I've seen one, and I fancy by the look of her mischievous little face, that they're too much for him. PEGGY. [_To Queckett._] Leave everything to me. Don't spoil the party, Uncle. QUECKETT. Dash the party! [_Peggy retiring hastily, the door bangs, at which Rankling and Mallory look round._] RANKLING. Oh, Queckett, where are your nieces? QUECKETT. Nieces--nieces? Oh, they retire at eight o'clock. Early to bed, early to rise--[_Gwendoline and Ermyntrude enter, visibly pushed on by Peggy._] RANKLING. [_Rising._] Um, this doesn't look like early to bed. QUECKETT. [_ Weakly._] Just got up, I suppose. Gwendoline--Ermyntrude--my dears--Admiral Rankling--Mr. Mallory--[_Looking about for Saunders._] Mr.--Mr.--Oh, Mr. Saunders is asleep! [_Ermyntrude and Gwendoline advance to Rankling._] RANKLING. [_To the girls._] How do you do? And whose daughters are you? [_Gwendoline and Ermyntrude look frightened, and shake their heads._] QUECKETT. Oh, these are my sister Isabel's girls. RANKLING. Why, all your sister Isabel's children were boys. QUECKETT. Were boys, yes. RANKLING. [_Irritably._] Are boys, sir. QUECKETT. Are men, now. H'm! I should have said these are my sister Janet's children. RANKLING. Oh! I've never heard of your sister Janet. QUECKETT. No--quiet, retiring girl, Janet. RANKLING. Well then, whom did Janet marry? QUECKETT. Whom didn't Janet marry? I mean, whom did Jane marry? Why, Finch Griffin of the Berkshire Royals! RANKLING. Dear me, we're going to meet Major Griffin and his wife on Christmas Day at the Trotwells'. QUECKETT. Are you? [_To Gwendoline and Ermyntrude._] Go away. [_Peggy enters._] Oh--ahem! This is Margaret--Peggy. RANKLING. Oh--another of Mrs. Griffin's. QUECKETT. Yes, yes! RANKLING. Large family. QUECKETT. Rapid--two a year. RANKLING. [_Eyeing Peggy._] Why, we've met before to-day! PEGGY. Eh--where? RANKLING. At a miserable school near my house in Portland Place. PEGGY. Oh, yes. Our holidays began this afternoon. RANKLING. Why, Queckett, my daughter Dinah and Miss Griffin are school-fellows! QUECKETT. No! RANKLING. Yes! QUECKETT. No! RANKLING. Yes, sir. QUECKETT. How small the world is! RANKLING. Do you happen to know anything about the person who keeps that school? What's the woman's name--Miss--Miss--? QUECKETT. Miss--Miss--Miss-- PEGGY. Miss Dyott. Oh, yes, Uncle knows her to speak to. RANKLING. What about her, Queckett? QUECKETT. [_Looking vindictively at Peggy._] Er--um--rather not hazard an opinion. [_He hastily joins Mallory, Gwendoline, and Ermyntrude._] RANKLING.