ALICE, willing to go on her knees, 'Nurse, what sort of a way does she
like from strangers?'

NURSE. 'She's not fond of a canoodlin' way.'

ALICE, faintly, 'Is she not?'

She departs to face her child, and the natural enemy follows her,
after giving Colonel Grey a moment in which to discharge her if he
dares, that is if he wishes to see his baby wither and die. One may as
well say here that nurse weathered this and many another gale, and
remained in the house for many years to be its comfort and its curse.

Fanny, with the tea-tray, comes and goes without the Colonel's being
aware of her presence. He merely knows that he has waved someone away.
The fact is that the Colonel is engrossed in a rather undignified
pursuit. He is listening avidly at the nursery door, and is thus
discovered by another member of his family who has entered cautiously.
This is Master Cosmo, who, observing the tea-tray, has the happy
notion of interposing it between himself and his father's possible
osculatory intentions. He lifts the tray, and thus armed introduces
himself.

COSMO. 'Hullo, father.'

His father leaves the door and strides to him.

COLONEL. 'Is it--it's Cosmo.'