FANNY. Papa, papa, the critics have come. And one of them has a
cocked hat and sword like a-- [she notices Savoyard] Oh, I beg
your pardon.

THE COUNT. This is Mr Savoyard, your impresario, my dear.

FANNY. [shaking hands] How do you do?

SAVOYARD. Pleased to meet you, Miss O'Dowda. The cocked hat is all
right. Trotter is a member of the new Academic Committee. He induced
them to go in for a uniform like the French Academy; and I asked him
to wear it.

THE FOOTMAN. [announcing] Mr Trotter, Mr Vaughan, Mr Gunn, Mr
Flawner Bannal. [The four critics enter. Trotter wears a diplomatic
dress, with sword and three-cornered hat. His age is about 50.
Vaughan is 40. Gunn is 30. Flawner Bannal is 20 and is quite unlike
the others. They can be classed at sight as professional men: Bannal
is obviously one of those unemployables of the business class who
manage to pick up a living by a sort of courage which gives him
cheerfulness, conviviality, and bounce, and is helped out positively
by a slight turn for writing, and negatively by a comfortable
ignorance and lack of intuition which hides from him all the dangers
and disgraces that keep men of finer perception in check. The Count
approaches them hospitably].

SAVOYARD. Count O'Dowda, gentlemen. Mr Trotter.

TROTTER. [looking at the Count's costume] Have I the pleasure of