out.] Now, go home and don’t bother me till you hear from me. I’m going to take the first train for Norfolk!

Enter Coriolanus at door C.

Cor. It’s time to go to court!

Dol. D—n the court! I’ll see this thing through. [He bolts for the C. door and upsets Coriolanus in his haste to get out. Exit through C. door.]

Cor. The court is sitting! [Coriolanus C., Hilda L. C. Whistle scene.]

Scene 2: Wood-pass in the Neighborhood of William Lowville’s Residence at Beachwood.

Enter Henry Lowville, R. 2 E., with gun resting on arm.

Hen. [Looking off L. E.] The guests are beginning to arrive, and I suppose I must, as a member of the family, be on hand and help do the honors of entertaining the motley crowd. [Sighs.] Ah! how I hate the hollow mockery of fashionable society—how I hate to mingle in the giddy deception hidden under the guise of polite gentility—bah!

Enter Reginald, L. 2 E.

Reg. Why, how now, Henry! One of your melancholy fits again? Ha! ha! ha! [Shakes hands.]

Hen. Yes, confoundedly so! I’ve got the blues with a vengeance.

Reg. Come, come, old fellow, shake off this feeling. Why, you look as if you had buried your best friend. Come, have a weed! [Offers segar case.] Nothing like a smoke, you know, to calm a perturbed mind.

Hen. [Lights segar.] Yes, there is a certain soothing influence about it; that’s a fact.

Reg. Ah! now you look more like yourself. But how is this—why are you not at your post, doing the honors to the guests?

Hen. Because I hate these empty shows. What are all these receptions but one maze of dissipation, where everybody seems to outdo the other in silliness?

Reg. I agree with you there, Henry. There are many sins and much hypocrisy and deceit practiced under the veil of studied politeness, and the sacred bond of friendship becomes a mere matter of form to further the ends of frivolous and sordid desires.

Hen. And the women! All deception, heartless, fickle. Show me a woman in this gilded age of fashion devoid of fashion’s impress—devoid of—

Reg. Nay, Henry! You are prejudiced—all women are not so. There are still many who possess all the noble attributes that Heaven instilled in her heart, that make her all that is beautiful and endearing in the eyes of a true man.

Hen. Yes; but artificial show has supplanted her—I know not the ideal.

Reg. Aye! but I know one.

Hen. And she is—

Reg. Your sister Adrienne!

Hen. Oho! I understand. Ha! ha! ha! Well, well, there’s my hand on it. I give in. There is no one in the wide world that I would be more pleased to call brother.

Reg. [Confused.] You misunderstand—you—

Hen. Well, well; so be it. But I had better go up to the mansion and make the guests comfortable, and help Adrienne complete the arrangements for the grand ball this evening. Will you come? [Crosses to L. Reginald to R.]

Reg. Not just at present. I want to have a little quiet stroll in these grand old woods; besides, I want to finish my weed.

Hen. Well, I’m off! [Exit L. 2 E.]

Reg. As good a fellow as ever lived; with a tinge of melancholy in his make-up, and a little bitter against the female sex in general. Heigho! Probably a victim of a heartless coquette. Hum! That awkward slip of the tongue has betrayed me. He has discovered my feelings toward Adrienne. [Leans against tree, L. 2 E., in a study.]

Enter Sammy Dewdrop and Adolphus Softhead, R. 2 E. They do not perceive Reginald.

Sammy. [C.] Hang it all if I don’t think we’ve lost the way! [Looks around.]

Adolphus. [R. C.] Why didn’t you listen to me and come by the regular road? Oh, Sammy! What if night should overtake us? Oh! oh! [Sammy scratches his head. Reginald perceives them.]

Reg. [Aside.] Two big school-boys!

Sam. Now, look a’here, Adolphus! How did I know we’d get in such a pickle? [Sees sign on tree R. F.] Hurrah! We’re all right! Here’s a finger-post! [Sammy R. C. Adolphus C. Reads:] “Beware!” [Adolphus jumps in terror.] “Do not disturb the deer.” Oh, pshaw! What shall we do?

Adol. I wish I’d stayed home!

Sam. It was all your fault that we came. You said there would be lots of nice girls there, and we should be sure to fall in love with ever so many.

Reg. Ha! ha! ha!

Adol. [Scared.] Oh! oh!

Sam. [Clutches Adolphus fearfully.] What was that?

Reg. [Comes forward, smiling. Adolphus R. C. Sammy C. Reginald L. C.] Gentlemen, you seem distressed. Can I serve you?

Sam. [Brightens up suddenly. To Adolphus.] Oh! you coward, to get frightened like that! Why can’t you be brave like me?

Adol. You were just as afraid as I was.

Reg. [Laughs.] Have a smoke? [Offers cigar-case to Sammy.] It will help to quiet your nerves.

Adol. [To Sammy, aside.] Oh, Lucifer! I never smoked in my life.

Sam. Neither did I! But we must take one, you know; it isn’t polite to refuse—besides, all men smoke.

Adol. Black as ink! Strong as old Nick, I bet.

Reg. You seem to have lost your way.

Sam. We were on our way to Holly Mansion, when we lost our way in this confounded jungle.

Reg. Ah! Then I can be of service to you. That is my destination, also, and if agreeable, I shall be most happy to guide you. [With mock politeness. Sammy and Adolphus both try to shake hands with Reginald at once. They both speak together.]

Sam. You’re a trump.

Adol. Put it there, old boy!

Reg. This way, gentlemen! [Exeunt, L. 2 E. Whistle scene.]

Scene 3: Garden Adjoining Wm. Lowville’s Mansion.

Enter Anastasia Maitland, and Coriolanus with valise, L. 2 E.

Anastasia. Well, I never! Not a soul about to receive me. And after all that jaunt from the station, too. I declare it’s an outrage. They could have sent their carriage to the station for me, to say the least. If there was somebody about, I should feel inclined to faint. [Sits on bench, L. 3 E.] Coriolanus!

Cor. [At R. C. Bows stiffly.] Your pleasure, madam!

Anas. Get my smelling-bottle out of the valise—be quick!

Cor.