Dolly Reforming Herself Part 26

_Harry._ No, by Jove, it proves that your father noticed what a confounded, cussed----

_Dolly._ Go on! Go on! Say it!

_Matt._ Shush! Shush! Well, Harry, what did you say?

_Harry._ Well, not wishing to give Dolly away----

_Dolly._ Ha! ha! Not wishing to give me away!

_Harry._ Not then! But, by Jove, if any decent chap were to come along now----

_Dolly._ [_Exploding._] There! There! [_To_ MATT.] And you sit there and hear my own husband insult me in my own house!

_Matt._ No! No!

_Dolly._ But there you sit! There you sit!

_Matt._ [_Jumps up fiercely._] Now, Harry!

_Harry._ [_Fiercely._] Well, now, Mr. Barron----

_Dolly._ Why don't you defend me? Why don't you demand an apology?

_Matt._ What for?

_Dolly._ For everything! For to-night! For that night at Folkestone!

_Harry._ That night at Folkestone! Why, your father was quite on my side----

_Matt._ What?

_Dolly._ He wasn't; were you, Dad?

_Matt._ No--no.

_Harry._ What? [_Fiercely._] Do you remember exactly what pa.s.sed between us in the smoking-room, Mr. Barron?

_Matt._ No.

_Harry._ Then I'll tell you----

_Matt._ [_Retreating towards door._] No--no--I don't want to know----

_Harry._ [_Following him up, shouting a little._] You said, "I know what she's like in her high gales! I remember what the little devil was like at home."

_Dolly._ [_Pursuing him up to door._] Father! You didn't say that!

_Matt._ No--no, my darling--quite a mistake--quite a mistake--altogether a mistake.

[_Gets thankfully off at back._

_Dolly._ [_Calls after him._] Then why don't you stay and tell him so!

_Harry._ [_Shouts after_ MATT.] It's not a mistake!

_Dolly._ [_Calls after_ MATT.] It's cowardly of you to leave me here to be insulted.

_Harry._ [_Goes up to door, shouts._] It's not a mistake! You patted me on the back and said, "Poor chap! Poor chap!" You know you did! [_Closes the door, comes fiercely down to_ DOLLY.] It's not a mistake! He could see you had insulted Miss Smithson.

_Dolly._ I had not insulted her! I was far too civil to her, considering that the next evening you took her out on the Leas, when you ought to have been at billiards----

_Harry._ I took her out on the Leas!

_Dolly._ Yes! You weren't in the billiard-room! So where were you? Where were you?

_Harry._ I jolly well don't know, and I--I----

_Dolly._ Say it! Say it!

_Harry._ I d.a.m.ned well don't care!

_Dolly._ Ah!

[_She seizes the box, brings it up to him, puts it irritatingly in front of him; he seizes it, they struggle for it, trying to take it out of each other's hands; she screams, he tries to get it; there is a scuffle round the room; he tries to rub her knuckles; she makes a little feint to bite him; in the struggle the box drops on the floor a little below the table, right._

_Dolly._ Jobling! Jobling! Jobling!

_Harry._ Now, madam, for the last time, have I all your bills?

_Dolly._ Jobling! Jobling! Jobling!

_Harry._ Have I all your bills?

_Dolly._ Jobling! Jobling! Jobling!

_Harry._ Once more, madam, have I all your bills?

_Dolly._ No, you haven't!

_Harry._ Then please hand them over to me this instant, so that I may take proceedings.

_Dolly._ [_Laughing._] Proceedings! Ha! Take your proceedings!

_Harry._ By Jove! I will take proceedings.

_Dolly._ Take them! Take them!

_Harry._ [_Walking about furiously with the bills._] So this is the way the money goes! [_Banging the bills._] While I have to smoke twopenny cigars! And can't get a decent dinner!