MRS. H. She certainly knows how to inveigle money out of the men. LADY JOHN. It would sound less equivocal, Lydia, if you added that the money is to build baths in our Shelter for Homeless Women. MRS. F. Homeless women? LADY JOHN. Yes, in the most insanitary part of Soho. FREDDY. Oh--a--really. FARN. It doesn't sound quite in Miss Levering's line! LADY JOHN. My dear boy, you know as little about what's in a woman's line as most men. FREDDY (_laughing_). Oh, I say! LORD J. (_indulgently to_ MR. FREDDY _and_ FARNBOROUGH). Philanthropy in a woman like Miss Levering is a form of restlessness. But she's a _nice_ creature; all she needs is to get some "nice" fella to marry her. MRS. F. (_laughing as she hangs on her husband's arm_). Yes, a woman needs a balance wheel--if only to keep her from flying back to town on a hot day like this. LORD J. Who's proposing anything so---- MRS. F. The Elusive One. LORD J. Not Miss---- MRS. F. Yes, before luncheon! [_Exit_ FARNBOROUGH _to garden._ LADY JOHN. She must be in London by this afternoon, she says. LORD J. What for in the name of---- LADY JOHN. Well, _that_ I didn't ask her. But (_consults watch_) I think I'll just go up and see if she's changed her plans. [_Exit_ LADY JOHN. LORD J. Oh, she must be _made_ to. Such a nice creature! All she needs---- (_Voices outside. Enter fussily, talking and gesticulating_, ST. JOHN GREATOREX, _followed by_ MISS LEVERING _and_ FARNBOROUGH. GREATOREX _is sixty, wealthy, a county magnate, and Liberal M.P. He is square, thick-set, square-bearded. His shining bald pate has two strands of coal-black hair trained across his crown from left ear to right and securely pasted there. He has small, twinkling eyes and a reputation for telling good stories after dinner when ladies have left the room. He is carrying a little book for_ MISS LEVERING. _She (parasol over shoulder), an attractive, essentially feminine, and rather "smart" woman of thirty-two, with a somewhat foreign grace; the kind of whom men and women alike say, "What's her story? Why doesn't she marry?"_) GREATOREX. I protest! Good Lord! what are the women of this country coming to? I _protest_ against Miss Levering being carried off to discuss anything so revolting. Bless my soul! what can a woman like you _know_ about it? MISS LEVERING (_smiling_). Little enough. Good morning. GREAT. (_relieved_). I should think so indeed! LORD J. (_aside_). You aren't serious about going---- GREAT. (_waggishly breaking in_). We were so happy out there in the summer-house, weren't we? MISS L. Ideally. GREAT. And to be haled out to talk about Public _Sanitation_ forsooth! (_Hurries after_ MISS LEVERING _as she advances to speak to the_ FREDDYS, _&c._) Why, God bless my soul, do you realise that's _drains_? MISS L. I'm dreadfully afraid it is! (_Holds out her hand for the small book_ GREATOREX _is carrying._)