MRS. CLANDON. Oh, certainly. Bring him in. WAITER. He wishes to see you in the reception-room, ma'am. MRS. CLANDON. Why not here? WAITER. Well, if you will excuse my mentioning it, ma'am, I think Mr. McComas feels that he would get fairer play if he could speak to you away from the younger members of your family, ma'am. MRS. CLANDON. Tell him they are not here. WAITER. They are within sight of the door, ma'am; and very watchful, for some reason or other. MRS. CLANDON (going). Oh, very well: I'll go to him. WAITER (holding the door open for her). Thank you, ma'am. (She goes out. He comes back into the room, and meets the eye of Valentine, who wants him to go.) All right, sir. Only the tea-things, sir. (Taking the tray.) Excuse me, sir. Thank you sir. (He goes out.) VALENTINE (to Gloria). Look here. You will forgive me, sooner or later. Forgive me now. GLORIA (rising to level the declaration more intensely at him). Never! While grass grows or water runs, never, never, never!!! VALENTINE (unabashed). Well, I don't care. I can't be unhappy about anything. I shall never be unhappy again, never, never, never, while grass grows or water runs. The thought of you will always make me wild with joy. (Some quick taunt is on her lips: he interposes swiftly.) No: I never said that before: that's new. GLORIA. It will not be new when you say it to the next woman. VALENTINE. Oh, don't, Gloria, don't. (He kneels at her feet.) GLORIA. Get up. Get up! How dare you? (Phil and Dolly, racing, as usual, for first place, burst into the room. They check themselves on seeing what is passing. Valentine springs up.) PHILIP (discreetly). I beg your pardon. Come, Dolly. (He turns to go.) GLORIA (annoyed). Mother will be back in a moment, Phil. (Severely.) Please wait here for her. (She turns away to the window, where she stands looking out with her back to them.) PHILIP (significantly). Oh, indeed. Hmhm! DOLLY. Ahah! PHILIP. You seem in excellent spirits, Valentine. VALENTINE. I am. (Comes between them.) Now look here. You both know what's going on, don't you? (Gloria turns quickly, as if anticipating some fresh outrage.) DOLLY. Perfectly. VALENTINE. Well, it's all over. I've been refused--scorned. I'm only here on sufferance. You understand: it's all over. Your sister is in no sense entertaining my addresses, or condescending to interest herself in me in any way. (Gloria, satisfied, turns back contemptuously to the window.) Is that clear? DOLLY. Serve you right. You were in too great a hurry. PHILIP (patting him on the shoulder). Never mind: you'd never have been able to call your soul your own if she'd married you. You can now begin a new chapter in your life. DOLLY. Chapter seventeen or thereabouts, I should imagine. VALENTINE (much put out by this pleasantry). No: don't say things like that. That's just the sort of thoughtless remark that makes a lot of mischief. DOLLY. Oh, indeed. Hmhm!