Dolly Reforming Herself - LightNovelsOnl.com
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_Pilcher._ Good afternoon, Telfer.
_Harry._ Good afternoon.
_Pilcher._ Good-bye, Mrs. Sturgess.
_Renie._ Good-bye. So many thanks for your eloquent sermon.
[_Shaking hands._
_Pitcher._ Now, was I eloquent? I suppose I was, since I've produced such an invigorating New Year atmosphere.
[RENIE _moves her French novel._
_Matt._ And brought Lucas over from Aldershot in the snow!
_Lucas._ Rather! I shall come again next year.
[_Shaking hands._
_Pilcher._ Do. And then we shall be able to estimate the effect of my eloquence.
_Matt._ [_Tapping the money-box._] We shall!
_Pilcher._ Good-bye, Mrs. Telfer.
_Dolly._ Good-bye. [_Rings bell._
_Pilcher._ Good-bye, Mr. Barron.
_Matt._ Good-bye.
_Pilcher._ You might be inclined to risk a sovereign on yourself for the Blanket Club?
_Matt._ I daren't. I can't trust my gray matter--I should make a dreadful fiasco.
[CRIDDLE _appears at door._
_Pilcher._ Mrs. Telfer, I leave him in your hands.
[_Exit_ PILCHER. CRIDDLE _closes the door after him._
_Matt._ Dolly, I don't mind having that new Parisian hat on with you.
_Dolly._ Done! I don't mind how much I punish you.
_Prof._ [_Taking out his watch._] Half past three, my dear.
_Renie._ I don't think I'll go out this afternoon.
_Prof._ Oh, you'd better take your little const.i.tutional. You missed it yesterday. I'm sure your restlessness is due to your not taking regular exercise.
_Renie._ Which way are you going? [_Yawning._
_Prof._ My usual round, up to the White House and back by the fish-pond.
_Renie._ Perhaps I'll join you at the fish-pond.
_Prof._ [_To_ MATT.] Nothing like living by rule and measure.
_Matt._ I shouldn't wonder. I've never tried it.
_Prof._ I ascribe my constant good health and contentment to my unvarying routine of work and diet and exercise. [_Exit._
_Matt._ Then where do my constant good health and contentment come from?
_Lucas._ Dolly, I left my evening kit here. Could you put me up for the night?
_Dolly._ Delighted! You'll make up our rubber.
_Lucas._ Right!
_Matt._ Not going to ride back to Aldershot again to-night?
_Lucas._ Not to-night, thank you.
_Matt._ Just a shade too bracing, eh?
_Lucas._ Just a shade! Dolly, I haven't seen your new fish-pond. Is anybody going to meet the Professor?
[_Glancing at_ RENIE.
_Matt._ I am. [_Linking his arm in_ LUCAS'S.] We'll get into an unvarying routine of exercise for the next hour. Come along!
[_Takes_ LUCAS _off as he is exchanging a look with_ RENIE. RENIE _makes to follow them, stops at door, turns back a little, stops, takes out_ LUCAS'S _letter from her French novel, goes to fire and reads it. Meanwhile the following scene takes place between_ DOLLY _and_ HARRY.
_Harry._ [_To_ DOLLY.] Now, Dolly, we can go through your bills.
[_Going to her writing-desk._
_Dolly._ Yes. Hadn't I better sort them out first?
_Harry._ [_Taking up bills._] Oh, I'll help you sort them out----
_Dolly._ Take care! You'll muddle all my papers. [_Taking bills out of his hands, and closing down the writing-desk._] I want to have a little talk with Renie--you'd better join them at the fish-pond.
_Harry._ Well, so long as you do get them sorted, and squared up. What about after tea?
_Dolly._ All right. After tea.
