Let me see--Mr.
Oberville is the first arrival; if you'll ring I will send word to the
stable. I suppose you'll stay now?
_Warland_. Stay?
_Isabel_. Not go to Washington. I thought you spoke as if he could help
you.
_Warland_. He could settle the whole thing in five minutes. The President
can't refuse him anything. But he doesn't know me; he may have a candidate
of his own. It's a pity you haven't seen him for so long--and yet I don't
know; perhaps it's just as well. The others don't arrive till seven? It
seems as if--How long is he going to be here? Till to-morrow night, I
suppose? I wonder what he's come for. The Merringtons will bore him to
death, and Adelaide, of course, will be philandering with Lender. I wonder
(_a pause_) if Darley likes boating. (_Rings the bell_.)
_Isabel_. Boating?
_Warland_. Oh, I was only thinking--Where are the matches? One may smoke
here, I suppose? _(He looks at his wife.)_ If I were you I'd put on that
black gown of yours to-night--the one with the spangles.--It's only that
Fred Langham asked me to go over to Narragansett in his launch to-morrow
morning, and I was thinking that I might take Darley; I always liked
Darley.
_Isabel (to the footman who enters)_. Mrs. Raynor wishes the dog-cart sent
to the station at five o'clock to meet Mr. Oberville.
_Footman_. Very good, m'm. Shall I serve tea at the usual time, m'm?
_Isabel_. Yes. That is, when Mr. Oberville arrives.
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