Miss Whitefield tracked you at every stopping place: she is a regular Sherlock Holmes.
TANNER.
The Life Force!
I am lost.
OCTAVIUS. [Bounding gaily down from the road into the amphitheatre, and coming between Tanner and Straker] I am so glad you are safe, old chap.
We were afraid you had been captured by brigands.
RAMSDEN. [who has been staring at Mendoza] I seem to remember the face of your friend here. [Mendoza rises politely and advances with a smile between Ann and Ramsden].
HECTOR.
Why, so do I.
OCTAVIUS.
I know you perfectly well, Sir; but I can't think where I have met you.
MENDOZA. [to Violet] Do YOU remember me, madam?
VIOLET.
Oh, quite well; but I am so stupid about names.
MENDOZA.
It was at the Savoy Hotel. [To Hector] You, sir, used to come with this lady [Violet] to lunch. [To Octavius] You, sir, often brought this lady [Ann] and her mother to dinner on your way to the Lyceum Theatre. [To Ramsden] You, sir, used to come to supper, with [dropping his voice to a confidential but perfectly audible whisper] several different ladies.
RAMSDEN. [angrily] Well, what is that to you, pray?
OCTAVIUS.
Why, Violet, I thought you hardly knew one another before this trip, you and Malone!
VIOLET. [vexed] I suppose this person was the manager.
MENDOZA.
The waiter, madam.
I have a grateful recollection of you all.
I gathered from the bountiful way in which you treated me that you all enjoyed your visits very much.
VIOLET.
What impertinence! [She turns her back on him, and goes up the hill with Hector].
RAMSDEN.
That will do, my friend.
You do not expect these ladies to treat you as an acquaintance, I suppose, because you have waited on them at table.
MENDOZA.
Pardon me: it was you who claimed my acquaintance. The ladies followed your example.
However, this display of the unfortunate manners of your class closes the incident.
For the future, you will please address me with the respect due to a stranger and fellow traveller. [He turns haughtily away and resumes his presidential seat].
TANNER.
There!
I have found one man on my journey capable of reasonable conversation; and you all instinctively insult him.
Even the New Man is as bad as any of you.
Enry: you have behaved just like a miserable gentleman.
STRAKER.
Gentleman!
Not me.
RAMSDEN.
Really, Tanner, this tone—
ANN.
Don't mind him, Granny: you ought to know him by this time [she takes his arm and coaxes him away to the hill to join Violet and Hector.
Octavius follows her, doglike].
VIOLET. [calling from the hill] Here are the soldiers.
They are getting out of their motors.
DUVAL. [panicstricken] Oh, nom de Dieu!
THE ANARCHIST.