when you matched yourself against a man who has read
papers (moving towards centre table) at Soirees
of the Royal Statistical Society——”
(Looking round the room, he discovers that he is
alone. He picks up his hat from the table and
jams it down on his head.) Unusual!
(He moves up towards the swing doors.)
CURTAIN.
It is after dinner in BELINDA’S hall.
The log fire, chandelier and wall brackets are all
alight. BELINDA is lying on the Chesterfield
with a coffee-cup in her hand. DELIA, in
the chair down L. below the fireplace, has
picked up “The Lute of Love” from a table
and is reading it impatiently. She also has a
coffee-cup in her hand.
DELIA (throwing the book away). What rubbish
he writes!
BELINDA (coming back from her thoughts).
Who, dear?
DELIA. Claude
(BELINDA gives her a quick look of surprise.)
—Mr. Devenish. (She rises and stands
by the fireplace with her cup in her hand.) Of
course, he’s very young.
BELINDA. So was Keats, darling.
DELIA. I don’t think Claude has had Keats’
advantages. Keats started life as an apothecary.
BELINDA. So much nicer than a chemist.
DELIA. Now, Claude started with nothing to do.
BELINDA (mildly). Do you always call him
Claude, darling? I hope you aren’t going
to grow into a flirt like that horrid Mrs. Tremayne.
DELIA. Silly mother! (She moves to BELINDA,
takes her cup, then crosses to the table and places
both the cups on the table— seriously.)
I don’t think he’ll ever be any good till
he really gets work. Did you notice his hair
this evening?
BELINDA (dreamily). Whose, dear?
DELIA (going to the back of the Chesterfield and
to the L. of
BELINDA). Mummy, look me in the eye and tell
me you are not being bad.
BELINDA (having playfully turned her head away
and hidden her face with her handkerchief, says innocently).
Bad, darling?
DELIA (moving down to the front of the fireplace).
You’ve made
Mr. Robinson fall in love with you.
BELINDA (happily). Have I?
DELIA. Yes; it’s serious this time.
He’s not like the other two.
BELINDA. However did you know that?
DELIA. Oh, I know.
BELINDA. Darling, I believe you’ve grown
up. It’s quite time I settled down.
DELIA. With Mr. Robinson?
(BELINDA sits up and looks thoughtfully at
DELIA for a little time.)
BELINDA (mysteriously). Delia, are you
prepared for a great secret to be revealed to you?
DELIA (childishly and jumping on to the L.
arm of the
Chesterfield facing BELINDA). Oh, I love
secrets.
