Steel.  Oh!  We must get him to give up that idea of lecturing everywhere against the war, Mrs. More; we simply must.

Katherine. [Listening] The deputation’s come.  Go and fetch him, Mr. Steel.  He’ll be in his room, at the House.

[Steel goes out, and Katherine Stands at bay.  In a moment he opens the door again, to usher in the deputation; then retires.  The four gentlemen have entered as if conscious of grave issues.  The first and most picturesque is James home, a thin, tall, grey-bearded man, with plentiful hair, contradictious eyebrows, and the half-shy, half-bold manners, alternately rude and over polite, of one not accustomed to Society, yet secretly much taken with himself.  He is dressed in rough tweeds, with a red silk tie slung through a ring, and is closely followed by mark wace, a waxy, round-faced man of middle-age, with sleek dark hair, traces of whisker, and a smooth way of continually rubbing his hands together, as if selling something to an esteemed customer.  He is rather stout, wears dark clothes, with a large gold chain.  Following him comes Charles Shelder, a lawyer of fifty, with a bald egg-shaped head, and gold pince-nez.  He has little side whiskers, a leathery, yellowish skin, a rather kind but watchful and dubious face, and when he speaks seems to have a plum in his mouth, which arises from the preponderance of his shaven upper lip.  Last of the deputation comes William Banning, an energetic-looking, square-shouldered, self-made country-man, between fifty and sixty, with grey moustaches, ruddy face, and lively brown eyes.]

Katherine.  How do you do, Mr. Home?

Home. [Bowing rather extravagantly over her hand, as if to show his independence of women’s influence] Mrs. More!  We hardly expected—­ This is an honour.

Wace.  How do you do, Ma’am?

Katherine.  And you, Mr. Wace?

Wace.  Thank you, Ma’am, well indeed!

Shelder.  How d’you do, Mrs. More?

Katherine.  Very well, thank you, Mr. Shelder.

Banning. [Speaking with a rather broad country accent] This is but a poor occasion, Ma’am.

Katherine.  Yes, Mr. Banning.  Do sit down, gentlemen.

Seeing that they will not settle down while she is standing, she sits at the table.  They gradually take their seats.  Each member of the deputation in his own way is severely hanging back from any mention of the subject in hand; and Katherine as intent on drawing them to it.

Katherine.  My husband will be here in two minutes.  He’s only over at the House.

Shelder. [Who is of higher standing and education than the others] Charming position—­this, Mrs. More!  So near the—­er—­Centre of—­ Gravity um?