_Rose._
Oh! my friends! my poor friends!
_Charles._
H'and Mr. Briggs at Cremorne! Reelly, I should 'ardly advise you to
wenture h'out, miss----
_Rose._
Out! no! Oh, but get them in!
_Charles._
In, Miss Rose! indoors!
_Rose._
Under cover---- [_A roll of thunder._] Oh!
[_Wringing her hands._] They are my friends! is it a rule that I am
never to see a friend, that I mayn't even give a friend shelter in a
violent storm? [_To Charles._] Are you the only one up?
_Charles._
I b'lieve so, miss. Any'ow the wimming-servants is quite h'under my
control.
_Rose._
Then tell my friends to be deathly quiet, and to creep--to tip-toe--
[_The rain strikes the window again. She picks up the lantern which
Charles has deposited upon the floor, and gives it to him._]
Make haste! I'll draw the curtains--[_He hurries out. She goes from
window to window, dropping the curtains, talking to herself excitedly as
she does so._] My friends! my own friends! ah! I'm not to sneeze in
this house! nor to sing! or breathe, next! wretches! oh, my! wretches!
[_Blowing out the candles and removing the candlesticks to the
table, singing, under her breath, wildly._] "Ever of thee I'm fondly
dreaming----" [_Mimicking Sir William again._] "What are ye upon
the floor for, my dear? Have we no cheers? do we lack cheers here,
Trafalgar----?" [_Charles returns._]
_Charles._
[_To those who follow him._] Hush! [_To Rose._] I
discovered 'em clustered in the doorway----
[_There is a final peal of thunder as Avonia, Gadd, Colpoys, and Tom
Wrench enter, somewhat diffidently. They are apparently soaked to their
skins, and are altogether in a deplorable condition. Avonia alone has
an umbrella, which she allows to drip upon the carpet, but her dress and
petticoats are bedraggled, her finery limp, her hair lank and loose._]
_Rose._
'Vonia!
[Illustration: 0113]
_Avonia._
[_Coming to her, and embracing her fervently._] Oh, ducky, ducky, ducky!
oh, but what a storm!
_Rose._
Hush! how wet you are! [_Shaking hands with Gadd_] Ferdinand--[_crossing
to Colpoys and shaking hands with him_] Augustus--[_shaking hands with
Tom_] Tom-Wrench--
_Avonia._
[_To Charles._] Be so kind as to put my umbrella on the landing, will
you? Oh, thank you very much, I'm sure.
[_Charles withdraws with the umbrella. Gadd and Colpoys shake the rain
from their hats on to the carpet and furniture._]
_Tom._
[_Quietly, to Rose._] It's a shame to come down on you in this way. But
they would do it, and I thought I'd better stick to 'em.
Gadd.
[_Who is a little flushed and unsteady._] Ha! I shall remember this
accursed evening.
_Avonia._
Oh, Ferdy----!
_Rose._
Hush! you must be quiet. Everybody has gone to bed, and I--I'm not sure
I'm allowed to receive visitors----
_Avonia._
Oh!
_Gadd._
Then we are intruders?
_Rose._