MADELINE:  (calling back) All right.

FEJEVARY:  (after a look at his companion) Queer girl, Madeline. 
Rather—­moody.

SENATOR:  (disapprovingly) Well—­yes.

FEJEVARY:  (again trying to laugh it off) She’s been hearing a great many speeches about her grandfather.

SENATOR:  She should be proud to hear them.

FEJEVARY:  Of course she should. (looking in the direction MADELINE has gone) I want you to meet my wife, Senator Lewis.

SENATOR:  I should be pleased to meet Mrs Fejevary.  I have heard what she means to the college—­socially.

FEJEVARY:  I think she has given it something it wouldn’t have had without her.  Certainly a place in the town that is—­good for it.  And you haven’t met our president yet.

SENATOR:  Guess, I’ve met the real president.

FEJEVARY:  Oh—­no.  I’m merely president of the board of trustees.

SENATOR:  ‘Merely!’

FEJEVARY:  I want you to know President Welling.  He’s very much the cultivated gentleman.

SENATOR:  Cultivated gentlemen are all right.  I’d hate to see a world they ran.

FEJEVARY:  (with a laugh) I’ll just take a look up here, then we can go down the shorter way.

(He goes out right.  SENATOR LEWIS turns and examines the books.  FUSSIE slips in, looks at him, hesitates, and then stoops under the table for the Matthew Arnold (and her poem) which HORACE has kicked there.  He turns.)

FUSSIE:  (not out from under the table) Oh, I was just looking for a book.

SENATOR:  Quite a place to look for a book.

FUSSIE:  (crawling out) Yes, it got there.  I thought I’d put it back. 
Somebody—­might want it.

SENATOR:  I see, young lady, that you have a regard for books.

FUSSIE:  Oh, yes, I do have a regard for them.

SENATOR:  (holding out his hand) And what is your book?

FUSSIE:  Oh—­it’s—­it’s nothing.

(As he continues to hold out his hand, she reluctantly gives the book.)

SENATOR:  (solemnly) Matthew Arnold?  Nothing?

FUSSIE:  Oh, I didn’t mean him.

SENATOR:  A master of English!  I am glad, young woman, that you value this book.

FUSSIE:  Oh yes, I’m—­awfully fond of it.

(Growing more and more nervous as in turning the pages he nears the poem.)

SENATOR:  I am interested in you young people of Morton College.

FUSSIE:  That’s so good of you.

SENATOR:  What is your favourite study?

FUSSIE:  Well—­(an inspiration) I like all of them.

SENATOR:  Morton College is coming on very fast, I understand.

FUSSIE:  Oh yes, it’s getting more and more of the right people.  It used to be a little jay, you know.  Of course, the Fejevarys give it class.  Mrs Fejevary—­isn’t she wonderful?