Part 8 (1/2)

MRS. D. But which only the good-looking ones get. (_re-enter LUCY, down staircase, L._) No, Dionysius, it won't do! A little less of that fraternal sympathy, if you please.

LUCY. What's the matter, Mrs. Dozey? (_DR. DOZEY gets up, R._)

MRS. D. Matter! Why that stage-player----

LUCY. Mrs. Blake?

MRS. D. Has been at her stage tricks!

DR. (_crosses to R.C._) Diana, you are excited.

MRS. D. Well, I may be. (_crosses, R._) You never looked at _me_ as long as I caught you looking at _her._ (_going off, R._)

DR. My angel, I have been gazing at you steadfastly for a quarter of a century. (_Exit after her, R._)

_Re-enter TOM, through window, C.R._

TOM. Good gracious, Mrs. Dozey's wide-awake!

LUCY. She's caught the doctor napping this time. She seems quite jealous of Mrs. Blake already.

TOM. The widow? Has she come?

LUCY. I met her at the door.

TOM. Well, is she as charming as Sir Humphrey says?

LUCY. I suppose she must be. At the hotel when we first met her she turned everybody's head. Sir Humphrey was smitten on the spot, and as for Ned, well, he behaved disgracefully. I wish you weren't going, Tom!

TOM. Do you?

LUCY. I should like to see what impression she'd make upon _you._ I don't believe you could admire anybody.

TOM. Am I so hard to please?

LUCY. A regular old cynic!

TOM. And what's a cynic? A poor devil, who's fool enough to put into words the harshness wise men put into their deeds, and fool enough to put into deeds the kindness wise men put into their words. Your cynic is the softest of mankind, and as a rule he's been in love before he was a cynic. (_crosses to L._)

LUCY. (_crosses to R._) Surely you haven't?

TOM. I've been most things, Lucy.

LUCY. Except a husband. (_laughing_)

TOM. I've been that.

LUCY. (_crosses to TOM_) A husband! No! Surely you're joking? Oh, I can't believe it.

TOM. What's much more singular, I want to be married again.