Shall I send for a fly, Sybil?
SYBIL [with a cry of the heart]. Auntie, do leave us.
COMTESSE. I can understand your impatience to be gone, Mr. Shand.
JOHN [heavily]. I promised Maggie to wait till the 24th, and I'm a
man of my word.
MAGGIE. But I give you back your word, John. You can go now.
[JOHN looks at SYBIL, and SYBIL looks at JOHN, and the impediment
arrives in time to take a peep at both of them.]
SYBIL [groping for the practical, to which we must all come in the
end]. He must make satisfactory arrangements about you first. I
insist on that.
MAGGIE [with no more imagination than a hen]. Thank you, Lady Sybil,
but I have made all my arrangements.
JOHN [stung]. Maggie, that was my part.
MAGGIE. You see, my brothers feel they can't be away from their
business any longer; and so, if it would be convenient to you, John,
I could travel north with them by the night train on Wednesday.
SYBIL. I--I----The way you put things---!
JOHN. This is just the 21st.
MAGGIE. My things are all packed. I think you'll find the house in
good order, Lady Sybil. I have had the vacuum cleaners in. I'll give
you the keys of the linen and the silver plate; I have them in that
bag. The carpet on the upper landing is a good deal frayed, but---
SYBIL. Please, I don't want to hear any more.
MAGGIE. The ceiling of the dining-room would be the better of a new
lick of paint---
SYBIL [stamping her foot, small fours].
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