[Lucas cautiously looks in from upper conservatory door.
Lucas. I say, how's the old bird seem to take it?
Dolly. Old bird!
Lucas. He isn't going to make a shindy over a trifle like this?
Dolly. Trifle! He's threatening to divorce her and expose you!
Lucas. You don't say so. I'm awfully sorry!
Dolly. Sorry!
Lucas. I am, indeed! And any reparation I can make——
Dolly. Reparation?!
Lucas. Such as an apology——
[Dolly utters a contemptuous exclamation.
Matt. Will you give me your word of honor never to see Mrs. Sturgess again?
Lucas. Yes.
Matt. Or write to her?
Lucas. Yes.
Matt. The word of honour of an English gentleman used to mean something, Lu.
Lucas. It does now, Uncle Matt!
Matt. [Shakes hands with him heartily.] Then I'll take it. Now be off as quickly as you can and let us make the best of it for you and her.
Lucas. Thanks. Good-bye!
Matt. Good-bye!
[Lucas crosses to Dolly, offers his hand.
Dolly. No, Lu. If Renie gets out of this safely and if you behave yourself, I'll shake hands with you when you come back from India.
Lucas. You're taking this too seriously—you're taking it far too seriously! [Exit.
Matt. We're making a splendid start again for the New Year!
Dolly. I hope this will be a lesson for Renie!
Matt. I hope so. How about yourself?
Dolly. What do you mean?
Matt. I put the sovereign in, but—you've got a few more bills, eh?
Dolly. Just a few oddments.
Matt. How much?
Dolly. I don't know. Dad——
Matt. Well?
Dolly. Now that South Africans have gone up at last, and you won that splendid coup on them last week——
Matt. Well?
Dolly. You couldn't lend me—a few hundreds—till my allowance comes due? Just a few hundreds——
Matt. [In a low reproachful tone, shaking his head.] What? What? What? Sad! Sad! Sad!!
Dolly. [Listens.] There's Harry! You will help me, Dad—you will?
Matt. I'll see what I can do.
Harry. That's all right, Doll! There's the address.
[Giving a slip of paper.
Dolly. Thanks, dear.
Harry. And now about these mere oddments?
Dolly. Not now, dear.
Harry. Yes, dear, now. [Very sternly.] This instant!
Dolly. Harry, you're going to lose your temper——
Harry. No. I'm going to keep a firm guard on it, but [very sternly] let me see those bills.
Dolly. [Creeps frightened up to the desk.] I'm sure you're going to lose your temper.
[Opens the desk.
Harry. [Firmly.] No. I'm quite calm. Whose bill is that? [She hands him one timorously.] Fulks and Garner! Artist Furriers! More artists! [looks at total]—one hundred and twenty-four pounds. Well, I'm——
Dolly. Ah, Jobling!
Harry. I should think I am Jobling. And you said you'd never enter their shop again!
Dolly. I never meant it, but this time it was absolutely necessary——
Harry. Necessary?
Dolly. Yes—you see the chief item——
Harry. [Reads.] Chinchilla toque, coat, muff and boa—eighty guineas—eighty guineas——
Dolly. I got them as a surprise for you when we go South next week.
Harry. Surprise! Great heavens! What in the name of all——
Matt. Shush, Harry! Her motive was a good one. She got it to please you!
Dolly. You haven't seen it yet, it's just outside—I've a great mind to give you a great New Year's treat and let you see it on!
Harry. I'm not going to be sweedled——
Matt. Hush! Harry! Let her put it on! Let's have a look at it, and see whether it's worth the money. Put it on, Doll. [Exit Dolly.
Harry. [Calls after her.] I tell you I'm not going to be sweedled!——
Matt. What is sweedled?
Harry. Sweedling is sweedling! It's part swindling and part wheedling! It's what every d—ee—d good-natured husband like me has to go through, when he's fool enough to put up with it!
Matt. Well, old boy, you'll have to pay, you know; it will come to that in the end.
Harry. I'm not going to be sweedled——
Matt. And if Dolly has been a little extravagant, I must help her out with it to-morrow morning!
Harry. No, we'll go into it thoroughly to-night.
Matt. No, Harry, we won't. My room is just above here. Besides, the cook is going to give us a special New Year dinner, and I want to enjoy it. This New Year we'll start with a comfortable evening, please!
Dolly enters at back in a very handsome Chinchilla coat. Harry looks a little sulky. She stands in the middle of the room and displays it.
Dolly. Well? [He looks at it rather sulkily, walks away; she follows him.] Well? [Walking after him.] Well? Well?
[Displaying the furs.]
[He turns, looks at her, she stands and holds out her arms.
Harry. Oh, hang it all! [Takes her in his arms and kisses her.] There!
Dolly. [Kissing him heartily.] And there! [Another kiss.] And there! [Another kiss.] And there! [Catches sight of the collecting box, goes to it, furiously sweeps it off its table on to the floor.] And there!
CURTAIN.
Transcriber's note
The following changes have been made to the text:
Page 7: "The Afternoon" changed to "The afternoon".
Page 12: "thirt-four, seven" changed to "thirty-four, seven".
Page 21: "no doubt each of has his own" changed to "no doubt each of you has his own".
Page 30: "had a plesant walk" changed to "had a pleasant walk".
Page 33: "to the time---- w" changed to "to the time----".
Page 50: "Doll." changed to " Dolly.".
Page 60: "Gibralter" changed to "Gibraltar".
Page 69: "speak for themselevs" changed to "speak for themselves".
Page 76: "least self-recpect" changed to "least self-respect".
Page 76: "now organgized" changed to "now organized".
Page 78: "down in a mniute" changed to "down in a minute".
Page 95: "extensive lessions" changed to "extensive lesions".