No, no; the housemaid who assisted me into this gown--

LADY OWBRIDGE.

Chalmers? well, there's Chalmers, certainly. But I fear that Chalmers
has hot hands. Or Denham--no, Denham is suffering from a bad knee. Of
course, there's Bruce! Bruce is painfully near-sighted--but would
Bruce do? Or little Atkins--?

SOPHY.

[_Stepping from behind the bench, and confronting_ LADY OWBRIDGE--_in a
quiet voice._] Or I, my lady?

LADY OWBRIDGE.

You, my dear?

SOPHY.

Why shouldn't _I_ attend upon her Grace to-night and in the morning?
[_With half a courtesy to the_ DUCHESS.] I should dearly like to have
the honour.

[MURIEL _comes forward, staring at_ SOPHY.

MRS. EDEN.

Now, that's very proper and good-natured of you, Sophy.