ANTHONY. Primum tempus. Gaddy was her
first, and a woman doesn’t allow her first man
to drop away without expostulation. She justifies
the first transfer of affection to herself by swearing
that it is for ever and ever. Consequently—
BLAYNE. Consequently, we are sitting here till
past one o’clock, talking scandal like a set
of Station cats. Anthony, it’s all your
fault. We were perfectly respectable till you
came in. Go to bed. I’m off.
Good-night all.
CURTISS. Past one! It’s past two,
by Jove, and here’s the khit coming for
the late charge. Just Heavens! One, two,
three, four, five rupees to pay for the pleasure
of saying that a poor little beast of a woman is no
better than she should be. I’m ashamed of
myself. Go to bed, you slanderous villains, and
if I’m sent to Beora to-morrow, be prepared
to hear I’m dead before paying my card account!
Only why should it be with pain at
all,
Why must I ’twixt the leaves of coronal
Put any kiss of pardon on thy brow?
Why should the other women know so much,
And talk together:—Such the look and
such
The smile he used to love with, then as now.
Any Wife to any Husband.
SCENE.-A Naini Tal dinner for thirty-four.
Plate, wines, crockery, and khitmatgars carefully
calculated to scale of Rs. 6000 per mensem, less Exchange.
Table split lengthways by bank of flowers.
MRS. HERRIOTT. (After conversation has risen to
proper pitch.) Ah! ’Didn’t see
you in the crush in the drawing-room. (Sotto voce.)
Where have you been all this while, Pip?
CAPTAIN GADSBY. (Turning from regularly ordained
dinner partner and settling hock glasses.) Good
evening. (Sotto voce.) Not quite so loud another
time. You’ve no notion how your voice carries.
(Aside.) So much for shirking the written explanation.
It’ll have to be a verbal one now. Sweet
prospect! How on earth am I to tell her that I
am a respectable, engaged member of society and it’s
all over between us?
MRS. H. I’ve a heavy score against you.
Where were you at the Monday Pop? Where were
you on Tuesday? Where were you at the Lamonts’
tennis? I was looking everywhere.
CAPT. G. For me! Oh, I was alive somewhere,
I suppose. (Aside.) It’s for Minnie’s
sake, but it’s going to be dashed unpleasant.
MRS. H. Have I done anything to offend you? I
never meant it if I have. I couldn’t help
going for a ride with the Vaynor man. It was promised
a week before you came up.
CAPT. G. I didn’t know—
MRS. H. It really was.
CAPT. G. Anything about it, I mean.
MRS. H. What has upset you to-day? All these
days? You haven’t been near me for four
whole days—nearly one hundred hours.
Was it kind of you, Pip? And I’ve
been looking forward so much to your coming.
