Dolly Reforming Herself - LightNovelsOnl.com
You're reading novel online at LightNovelsOnl.com. Please use the follow button to get notifications about your favorite novels and its latest chapters so you can come back anytime and won't miss anything.
_Matt._ [_Cautiously._] Ye-es.
_Dolly._ You remember how she waited for a lull in the talk, and then she said with that silly, simpering, appealing look----
_Harry._ Miss Smithson's look is not silly or simpering.
_Dolly._ Well, it's appealing, isn't it?
_Harry._ [_With a little chuckle._] Oh, yes, it's appealing.
_Dolly._ [_Enraged._] Oh! Dad!
_Matt._ [_Quiets her._] Shus.h.!.+--What did she say?
_Dolly._ She said with a very marked glance at me, "My dress allowance is a hundred and twenty a year, and I don't understand how any reasonable woman can wish for more!" What do you think of that?
_Matt._ Well, if she did say that, and if she glanced at you, it----
_Dolly._ Yes?
_Matt._ It wasn't very nice of her.
_Dolly._ Nice? It was an insult! A direct, intentional, abominable insult, wasn't it?
_Matt._ Yes, yes, decidedly, under the circ.u.mstances----
_Dolly._ And Harry ought to have resented it?
_Matt._ At his own dinner table he couldn't, could he?
_Dolly._ Yes! At least, if he couldn't resent it, he ought to have _shown_ that he resented it. Instead of that, he actually asked her to give me a few lessons in economy!
_Harry._ I did not!
_Dolly._ Pardon me, you did! Me! his wife! Lessons in economy!
_Harry._ And a thundering good thing if she had given you a few before you ran up these bills!
[_Dashes his hand on to the bills._
_Dolly._ There! You hear?!
_Matt._ Come, Harry, you oughtn't to have asked another woman to give your wife lessons in economy.
_Harry._ I didn't!
_Dolly._ Dad! You were there----
_Matt._ Yes, but I don't quite remember----
_Dolly._ You don't remember?! Surely you can remember a simple thing like that when your own daughter tells you it was so!
_Matt._ Now, Harry, what did you really say to Miss Smithson?
_Harry._ I said she might give _some_ women a lesson in economy.
_Matt._ Not meaning Dolly?
[_Giving him a wink to say "No."_
_Harry._ No-o.
_Dolly._ Then whom did he mean? Lessons in economy? Whom _could_ he mean if he didn't mean me?
_Harry._ Just so!
_Dolly._ Ah! There! You see, he owns it!
_Matt._ No, no, I'm sure he doesn't mean it! Did you, Harry?
[_Winking at_ HARRY.
_Dolly._ Then will he please say what he really does mean?
_Matt._ Now, Harry, what do you really mean?
_Harry._ Well, you remember that night of the dinner party at Folkestone.
_Matt._ [_Cautiously._] Ye-es.
_Harry._ After they'd all gone you and I went into the smoking-room, didn't we?
_Matt._ [_Cautiously._] Ye-es.
_Harry._ And you said, "Doll's in one of her high gales again!"
_Dolly._ High gales?! [_Indignant._] Father! You didn't say that?
_Matt._ No, no, my dear----
_Harry._ Excuse me, those were your exact words. High gales!
_Matt._ I don't remember.
_Dolly._ No, you don't remember anything.
_Harry._ You said, "What on earth was up between her and Miss Smithson at dinner?"
_Dolly._ You see! That proves exactly what I said!
