[IVANOFF bows meekly and exit to right, closing door after him.]
MARIANO. Miss Granger-Seempson!
[Exit.]
PIKE. All right, Mariano!
[ETHEL enters haughtily.]
I'm much obliged to you for taking my note the right way. I've got some
pretty good reasons for not leaving this room.
[She is icy in manner, but her hands fidget with the note he has sent
her, crumpling it up.]
ETHEL [sitting]. Your note seemed so extraordinarily urgent--
PIKE. It had to be. Some folks who want to see me are coming here, and I
want you to see them--here. They'd stopped you from coming if they
could.
ETHEL [holding herself very straight in her chair]. There was no effort
to prevent me.
PIKE. No; I didn't give 'em time.
ETHEL. May I ask to whom you refer?
PIKE. The whole kit and boodle of 'em!
ETHEL [not relaxing her coldness]. You are inelegant, Mr. Pike.
PIKE. I haven't time to be elegant, even if I knew how.
ETHEL. Do you mean that my chaperone would disapprove?
PIKE. I shouldn't be surprised. I reckon the whole fine flower of Europe
would disapprove. "Disapprove?"--they'd _sand-bag_ you to keep you away!
ETHEL [rising quickly]. Oh, then I can't stay.
PIKE [going between her and the upper doors, speaks with ring of
domination]. Yes you can, and you will, and you've got to!
ETHEL [angrily].
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