[_Together._] No, thank you. QUECKETT. [_To himself_] What a supper party! Tyler, the champagne. [_Tyler fetches a bottle of champagne, and proceeds to open it._] RANKLING. [_Behind Ermyntrude and Peggy, to Mallory._] If we see the cork drawn, shall we risk it? MALLORY. [_To Rankling._] Risk it. RANKLING. Risk it. [_Reginald has risen from the table and is seen tapping Saunders upon the shoulder and speaking to him rapidly and excitedly._] SAUNDERS. No, I have not! [_Talking together, Reginald and Saunders go out hurriedly._] MALLORY. What's the matter with that charming young fellow now? [_To the table._] Excuse me. [_He follows them out._] DINAH. [_Tearfully to Gwendoline._] Reginald's jealousy gets worse and worse. I am sure it will cloud our future. GWENDOLINE. [_To Dinah._] Mr. Saunders wasn't looking at you, I am positive. The poor little fellow was stroking my hand. [_Mallory returns with Saunders and Reginald, who both look excited, and their hair is disarranged._] REGINALD. [_To Mallory and Saunders._] I beg your pardon; I may have been mistaken. I imagined that Mr. Saunders was regarding my wife in a way which overstepped the borders of ordinary admiration. [_They hastily shake hands all around and hurry back to their seats. Tyler has poured out the champagne, and now departs. Admiral Rankling rises. Queckett taps the table for silence._] QUECKETT. Please--please. RANKLING. Ah'm! MALLORY. [_To himself._] I thought the old gentleman wouldn't resist the temptation. RANKLING. My dear Mr. Queckett, it would ill become an old man--himself the father of a daughter, nearly, if not quite, of the age of the young lady opposite me--to lose an opportunity of saying a few words on the pleasant, the--the extremely pleasant--condition of the British Naval Forces--ah'm! no-- MALLORY. [_To himself._] I knew that would happen. RANKLING. Pardon me, I have been speaking on other subjects to-night. I should say, the extremely pleasant occasion which brings us together. QUECKETT. Certainly, my dear Rankling, how nice of you! RANKLING. Not only am I the commander--the father--of a ship--of a daughter whom it is my ambition to see happily wedded to the man of her choice-- PEGGY. Hear, hear! QUECKETT. [_In an undertone, glaring at her._] You vexing girl. RANKLING. But I am also the husband of a heavily plated cruiser--er--um--h'm! of a dear lady to whose affection and society I owe the greatest happiness of my life. PEGGY. [_To herself._] How different some gentlemen are when their wives are not present. RANKLING. If I have the regret of knowing that my acquaintance with Mrs.--Mrs.-- PEGGY. Parkinson. RANKLING. Thank you, I know--Parkinson--has begun only to-night, I have also the pleasure of inaugurating a friendship with that delightful young lady, which on my side shall be little less than paternal. I--I--I-- MALLORY. Oh, gracious! RANKLING. I--I cannot sit down-- MALLORY. [_ Wearily._] Why not!