Three Comedies Part 21

Cornelia. Please walk in!

Mrs. Rost. Thank you! You must excuse us for calling so early. We came up from the country yesterday, and my husband has to go to the courts for a little while!

Rost. I have to go to the courts to-day. (The BISHOP conies in from the right.)

Bishop. Welcome!

Rost and Mrs. Rost. Thank you!

Mrs. Rost. You must excuse our calling so early; but we came up from the country yesterday, and my husband has to go to the courts to-day.

Rost. I have to go to the courts for a little while.

Bishop. I know.

Mrs. Rost. And there is the old lady in her chair already!

Rost. Good morning, my dear madam!

Mrs. Rost. Good morning!--No, please don't get up!

Grandmother. Oh, I can get up still.

Rost. Ah, I wish I were as active as you!

Mrs. Rost. My husband was saying to Miss Cornelia only last night--

Grandmother. You need not strain yourself so. I can hear perfectly well.

(The others exchange glances.)

Rost. I was saying to Miss Cornelia only last night--we met for a few moments after the service--

Grandmother. I know, I know.

Rost. I said I had never known any one of over ninety have all their faculties so remarkably clear--

Mrs. Rost.--so remarkably clear as yours! And such good health, too! My husband has suffered a great deal from asthma lately.

Rost. I have suffered a great deal from asthma lately.

Mrs. Rost. And I from a heart trouble, which--

Grandmother. We did not know anything about such ailments in my day.

Mrs. Rost. Isn't she sweet! She doesn't remember that people were sometimes ill in her day.

Bishop. Lovely weather we are having!

Rost. Delightful weather! I cannot in the least understand how it is that I--. (The BISHOP brings a chair forward for him.) Oh, please don't trouble, my lord! Allow me.

Mrs. Rost. My husband must have caught cold. (RoST sits down.)

Cornelia. It certainly was draughty in church last night.

Rost. But we sat in the corner farthest from the door.

Mrs. Rost. We sat in the corner farthest from the door. That was why we were not able to bid your lords.h.i.+p good evening afterwards.

Bishop. There was such a crowd.

Rost, Mrs. Rost, and Cornelia. Such a crowd!

Mrs. Rost. These services must be a great help in your lords.h.i.+p's labours.

Rost. Yes, every one says that.

Bishop. Yes, if only the result were something a little more practical.

We live in sad times.

All three (as before). Sad times!

Mrs. Rost. We only just heard yesterday and we met so many friends that I was prevented from asking your sister about it--we have only just heard--

Rost. And that is why we have come here to-day. We believe in being straightforward!

Mrs. Rost. Straightforward! That is my husband's motto.

Bishop. Probably you mean about Hagbart's engagement?

Rost and Mrs. Rost. To Miss Falk?

Cornelia. Yes, it is quite true.

Mrs. Rost. Really?

Cornelia. My brother came to the conclusion that he had no right to oppose it.

Rost. Quite so. It must have been a difficult matter for your lords.h.i.+p to decide.

Bishop. I cannot deny that it was.

Mrs. Rost. How Mr. Tallhaug has changed!

Rost. Yes, it seems only the other day he--

Bishop. We must not be too severe on young people in that respect nowadays, Mrs. Rost.

Rost. It is the spirit of the time!