[The door opens to admit the MANAGER of the hotel. He is a dark, plump little man, who collects stamps, and speaks extraordinary English]

Oh, it’s the Manager.

MANAGER. How’re you, very well, Mr. Preston? How’re you, all right, Miss? I just come by see you have any little thing of any kind of sort you don’t want to eat. Everything all right, everybody absolutely comfortable?

DOROTHY. Everything’s marvelous, now the heater’s fixed.

MANAGER. With a heater always is continually trouble. Electricity is a science not yet dominated by the workers. Also, the electrician drinks himself into a stupidity.

PRESTON. He didn’t seem awfully bright, the electrician.

MANAGER. Is bright. But the drink. Always the drink. Then rapidly the failing to concentrate on electricity.

PRESTON. Then why do you keep him on?

MANAGER. Is the electrician of the committee. Frankly resembles a catastrophe. Is now in 113 drinking with Mr. Philip.

DOROTHY. [Happily] Then Philip’s home.

MANAGER. Is more than home.

PRESTON. What do you mean?

MANAGER. Difficult to say before lady.

DOROTHY. Ring him up, darling.

PRESTON. I will not.

DOROTHY. Then I will.

[She unhooks the telephone from the wall and says]:

Ciento trece—Hello. Philip? No. Come and see us. Please. Yes. All right.

[She hooks up the phone again]

He’s coming.

MANAGER. Highly preferable he does not come.

PRESTON. Is it that bad?

MANAGER. Is worse. Is an unbelievable.

DOROTHY. Philip’s marvelous. He does go about with dreadful people though. Why does he, I wonder?

MANAGER. I come another time. Maybe perhaps if you receive too much of anything you unable to eat always very welcome in the house where family constantly hungry unable understand lack of food. Thank you to another time. Good-bye.

[He goes out just before the arrival of MR. PHILIP nearly bumping into him in the hallway. Outside the door he is heard to say]:

Good afternoon, Mr. Philip.

[A deep voice says very jovially]

PHILIP. Salud, Comrade Stamp Collector. Picked up any valuable new issues lately?

[In a quiet voice]

MANAGER. No, Mr. Philip. Is have people from very dull countries lately. Is a plague of five cent U. S. and three francs fifty French. Is needed comrades from New Zealand written to by airmail.

PHILIP. Oh, they’ll come. We’re just in a dull epoch now. The shellings upset the tourist season. Be plenty of delegations when it slacks off again.

[In a low non-joking voice]

What’s on your mind?

MANAGER. Always a little something.

PHILIP. Don’t worry, that’s all set.

MANAGER. Am worry a little just the same.

PHILIP. Take it easy.

MANAGER. You be careful, Mr. Philip.

[In to the door comes MR. PHILIP, very large, very hearty, and wearing rubber boots]

Salud, Comrade Bastard Preston. Salud Comrade Boredom Bridges. How are you comrades doing? Let me present an electrical comrade. Come in, Comrade Marconi. Don’t stand out there.