MAUD. I don't want to irritate you, father.

BUILDER. You can't irritate me more than by having secrets. See what
that led to in your sister's case. And, by the way, I'm going to put an
end to that this morning. You'll be glad to have her back, won't you?

MAUD. [Startled] What!

BUILDER. Your mother and I are going round to Athene at twelve o'clock.
I shall make it up with her. She must come back here.

MAUD. [Aghast, but hiding it] Oh! It's--it's no good, father. She
won't.

BUILDER. We shall see that. I've quite got over my tantrum, and I
expect she has.

MAUD. [Earnestly] Father! I do really assure you she won't; it's only
wasting your time, and making you eat humble pie.

BUILDER. Well, I can eat a good deal this morning. It's all nonsense!
A family's a family.

MAUD. [More and more disturbed, but hiding it] Father, if I were you,
I wouldn't-really! It's not-dignified.

BUILDER. You can leave me to judge of that. It's not dignified for the
Mayor of this town to have an unmarried daughter as young as Athene
living by herself away from home. This idea that she's on a visit won't
wash any longer. Now finish that letter--"worthy, but you may rest