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I'm rather anxious for the post to bring to-day's "Times." You know I've offered a thousand pounds to our Restoration Fund.
GEORGIANA.
What!
THE DEAN.
Hush--I'll tell you.
[_They talk in undertones. BLORE enters to remove the tea-tray._
TARVER.
[_Jumping up excitedly--to SALOME._] Eh? Oh, certainly--delighted!
[_Singing to himself._] "Come into the garden, Maud, for the black bat----"
SALOME.
Now you're yourself again.
TARVER.
I'm always dreadfully excited when I'm asked to sing. It's as good as a carbonate of soda lozenge to me to be asked to sing. [_To BLORE._]
My music is in my overcoat pocket.
[_BLORE crosses to the door._
SHEBA.
And Mr. Darbey has brought his violin.
TARVER.
[_In a rage, glaring at DARBEY._] Hah! There now!
DARBEY.
[_To BLORE._] You'll find it in the hall.
[_BLORE goes out. THE DEAN dozes in a chair. SALOME and SHEBA talk to GEORGIANA at the table._
TARVER.
[_To himself._] He always presumes with his confounded fiddle when I'm going to entertain. He knows that his fiddle's never hoa.r.s.e and that I am, sometimes.
DARBEY.
[_To himself._] Tarver always tries to cut me out with his elderly Chest C. He ought to put it on the Retired List.
TARVER.
I'll sing him off his legs to-night--I'm in lovely voice.
[_He walks into the Library and is heard trying his voice, singing "Come into the garden, Maud."_
DARBEY.
[_To himself._] He needn't bother himself. While he was dozing in the carriage I threw his music out of the window.
_TARVER re-enters triumphantly._
_BLORE re-enters, carrying a violin-case and a leather music roll.
DARBEY takes the violin-case, opens it, and produces his violin and music. BLORE hands the music roll to TARVER and goes out._
TARVER.
[_To SALOME, trembling with excitement._] My tones are like a beautiful bell this evening. I'm so glad, for all our sakes. [_As he takes the leather music roll from BLORE._] Thank you, that's it.
SALOME.
What will you begin with?
TARVER.
"Come into the garden, Maud." I've begun with "Corne into the garden, Maud" for years and years. [_He opens the music roll--it is empty._]
Oh! Miss Jedd, I've forgotten my music!
SALOME _and_ SHEBA.
Oh! Major Tarver!
[_TARVER with a groan of despair sinks on to the settee._
SHEBA.
Never mind--Mr. Darbey will play.
DARBEY.
[_Tuning his violin._] Will you accompany me?
SHEBA.
[_Raising her eyes._] To the end of the world.
[_She sits at the piano._
DARBEY.
