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COAST. Do you think if she was up a tree for funds she'd look at me any kinder?
STEVEN. Not a bit.
COAST. Some women do.
STEVEN. Not Georgiana! Good-by.
COAST. [_To_ STEVE.] So long.
[STEVEN _turns to go, but stops as_ MOLES _shows_ COLEMAN _into the room. The latter is dressed in his uniform of first lieutenant._
d.i.c.k. h.e.l.lo, Steven! h.e.l.lo, Coast!
COAST. We gates!
STEVEN. How are you, d.i.c.k? Excuse me, I'm in a hurry. You're off to-day?
d.i.c.k. Yes, I've come to shake hands.
STEVEN. Good-by, old man, and good luck--sorry to have to go! Good-by!
[_Shakes hands warmly, with feeling._
d.i.c.k. Good-by.
[STEVEN _goes out Left._
COAST. [_Sitting Right._] Oh, I guess she ain't so different.
d.i.c.k. Who?
COAST. Georgiana, she's _just a woman_!
d.i.c.k. No, take my word for it, she's not _a_ woman, she's _the_ woman.
[_Sits on the piano bench._
COAST. 'Spose she likes money and nice things always about her?
d.i.c.k. She's always had them,--and always would if I could help give them to her.
COAST. Huh, huh! Well--say, Steve's got himself in a devil of a hole!
Speculated with his wife's money--and they're broke.
d.i.c.k. Good G.o.d, what do you mean?
[_Rises._
COAST. What I say. Steve is one of those good-hearted gulls who's a blame slob on the money market, and he's gone under to the extent of Aunt Laura's and Louise's _spondulix_, that's all.
[_He is rather amused._ d.i.c.k _goes back of table, puts his hat on it._
d.i.c.k. What are they going to do?
COAST. Georgiana wants to pony up like a brick and keep the whole lot!
d.i.c.k. Just like her!
COAST. Oh, of course, I'll see Georgiana don't really lose by it in no way in the end.
d.i.c.k. You _will_?
COAST. Why of course!
d.i.c.k. She isn't going to let Steve speculate with her money, is she?
COAST. Can't say.
[_A pause._
d.i.c.k. Look here, I'd like to help Steve myself, if I thought I could protect Georgiana. I'll let Steve have some money. You needn't say anything to anybody. How much will see him through?
COAST. That's real good of you, but I couldn't let outsiders help 'em.
d.i.c.k. I'm not exactly an outsider; and the truth is, Coast, I'd give anything to have the right to help Georgiana. [_A silence._] Look here.
I'm going to ask you a question, straight out!
COAST. Fire ahead!
[_Looks at_ d.i.c.k _with a perfectly blank face._
d.i.c.k. Anything between you and Georgiana?
COAST. [_After a short pause._] There is--
d.i.c.k. Mrs. Carley hinted as much.
COAST. [_Unflinchingly._] I'm--er--I'm going to marry Georgiana.
[_A pause._ COAST _looks_ d.i.c.k _in the eye, then away._
d.i.c.k. Congratulate you, Coast! [_Shakes his hand._] She's worth even more than you can give her!
COAST. That's right!
[COAST _goes out on the balcony and whistles "Congo."_ d.i.c.k _walks away and turns his back._ d.i.c.k _goes to the mantel and takes up a picture of_ GEORGIANA, _looks at it, takes it out of the frame, and seeing that_ COAST _isn't observing, puts it in his breast pocket. He turns round with a pathetic sort of half-laughing exclamation to_ COAST.
d.i.c.k. I say, Coast. [COAST _comes in from the balcony._] I've been in love with Georgiana for years.
