FARADAY. Smith--huh-- (_Genially_) Well, of course the dear fellow isn't to be held responsible for that. Eh, Admiral? (_Joins_ AUNT IDA _and_ GRICE _up_ C.)

GRICE. (_To_ FARADAY. _Coming down_ R.C.) Miss Faraday _engaged?_ You might knock me down with a feather. My dear, I congratulate yo--_him_, my dear, _him_.

CELIA. (_Smiling and shaking hands with_ GRICE) Thank you, Admiral, thank you.

RALEIGH. (_Up_ L.C. _to_ STEELE) Engaged!

STEELE. By George! (_They contemplate_ CELIA _from a new point of view_.)

FARADAY. (_Up_ R.C. _with_ AUNT IDA. _Smiling broadly and rubbing his hands together_) Good--old--_John_--_Smith!_

EVELYN. (_Patronizingly_) Well, Father, he _may_ be one of the _good_ Smiths, you know.

MADGE. (_From chair_ R.) If Celia would only stop being such a clam, and tell us.

CELIA. But, Madge dear, I have told you.

FARADAY. (_Comes down stage to_ R. _of_ CELIA) Well, Celia, I suppose he will be coming to _see_ us soon?

CELIA. Oh, yes--father--after the war. (_Leaning back on chair_ R. _of table_ L.)

PHYLLIS. (_Quickly_) The war?

(_All show surprise and interest_.)

CELIA. Yes, you see he sailed this morning on board a troop ship, for Somaliland. It was just within an hour of his leaving that he--spoke to me.

FARADAY. But during that hour he might have told you something about himself.

PHYLLIS. Oh, Father! How absurd! On occasions of that kind, an hour pa.s.ses very quickly, (_Turns to_ TARVER _and smiles_.)

(_All laugh_.)

FARADAY. Well, I remember that when I proposed to your mother, I told her my life history _three times over_ in the first hour. (_Goes up stage_.)

EVELYN. (_Deprecatingly_) Oh, Father! (_To_ CELIA) What's his regiment?

CELIA. Oh, it is a very good one, Evelyn dear. It's one of the West African ones, you know. It has green thing-a-majigs all down the front.

(EVELYN _goes up_ L. _and crosses_ R.)

TARVER. It sounds like a garden party.

MADGE. Well, but--Celia-- (_Rises, comes to_ CELIA _and offers hand and pa.s.ses_ CELIA _in front of her to chair_ L. _of table_ R.)

PHYLLIS. Oh, yes, do tell us.

CELIA. (_Sitting_ L. _of table_ R. _Eagerly, to get rid of the questions_) But there is very little to tell.

(RALEIGH _and_ STEELE _drop down_ R.C. EVELYN _joins them_. AUNT IDA _is back of_ CELIA. GRICE _is_ C. MADGE L. _of_ CELIA. FARADAY _drops down behind_ CELIA'S _chair to_ R. _of_ AUNT IDA. _They are new all grouped about_ CELIA'S _chair, except_ TARVER, _who is in chair below fender. They all show smiling interest_.)

CELIA. Well, you see, we had been together in the house all the week--and--er--this morning I was in the garden--alone--and--and he joined me. (_Pause_.) And--er--it was then. (_Covers her--face in mock confusion_.)

(_All laugh sympathetically_.)

PHYLLIS. (_From sofa_) What did he say?

CELIA. (_Looks at_ TARVER _and_ PHYLLIS _and waving toward_ TARVER) Oh, you know.

(_All laugh_.)

PHYLLIS. And--are you _happy?_

CELIA. (_Looking at group bending over her_) Well, I really believe that this change will make a very great difference in my life.

FARADAY. (_Patting_ CELIA _on shoulder_) Well, I hope so, my dear child, I hope so. Now, let's go back and finish our rubber.

(_There is a general bright buzz of conversation, such as "By jove!"

"I'll bet it does," "Why, yes, Celia," "Well, I should think it would," "Indeed it will," etc_. FARADAY _goes up to card room with_ EVELYN, GRICE _and_ AUNT IDA. _They resume their bridge game in former positions_. MADGE _catches_ TARVER'S _eye and they join each other up_ R., _evidently talking about_ CELIA'S _engagement_. PHYLLIS _stops on sofa, talking across to_ CELIA, _as_ CELIA _glances over the remaining envelopes and slips them into the large blue envelope, in view of audience_.)

RALEIGH. (_To_ STEELE, L.C.) It's obvious that Smith didn't find it difficult.

STEELE. (_Who is_ R. _of_ RALEIGH. _Looking thoughtfully at_ CELIA) No, he didn't. Perhaps, we have all been mistaken. You know she isn't so bad looking--if you look long enough. (STEELE _starts to cross to_ CELIA. RALEIGH _stops him and goes over himself_. STEELE _comes back of chair_ L.)

RALEIGH. Miss Faraday, _I_ haven't congratulated you yet. I hope you won't go off to Southampton soon again. We all missed you _dreadfully_ when you were away.

(STEELE _shows impatience at_ RALEIGH'S _talking to_ CELIA.)

CELIA. I'm sure you did. My coming back as I've done seems to have made a _very great difference_.

RALEIGH. Oh, _great_. Believe me, _great_. Well, you've every good wish of mine. (_Gushingly extending his hand, which_ CELIA _takes amusedly_.)

CELIA. (_Warmly_) I am sure I have, Mr. Raleigh.