"AFTER THE HEALTH CONGRESS IS OVER."
Scene—A Ball Room at the Mansion House.
He. (resting). Good floor, isn't it?
She. Quite. But tell me, have you been attending the Congress?
He. Of course; that is why I received an invitation to-night.
She. And you found the lectures and all that most interesting?
He. Yes, very; and then there were the Opera and the theatres in the evening.
She. But do let us talk about the Congress. Did you not discuss sanitation?
He. Discussed it very much indeed. So fortunate too that we had the meeting before everybody had left town.
She. Yes. But did you not inquire into microbes and all that?
He. Certainly; had a lot of talk about them, and finished them all up just in time not to interfere with Goodwood.
She. And I suppose you found out the way to keep everyone in perfect health?
He. That was the idea, and yet we floored Lords and the Oval.
She. But oughtn't every town to be in a satisfactory condition?
He. Why, yes. But that depends upon the season of the year. Of course, some places are deadly dull when nothing's going on from a social point of view.
She. I mean from a health point of view—oughtn't everything nowadays to be simply excellent?
He. Yes, of course. That's the modern theory.
She. And yet, according to the papers, London is full of fever and insanity.
He. I daresay; the Press men generally get their figures right.
She. But if, theoretically, everything is right, why should most things be practically wrong?
He. You must really ask me another.
She. But you are strong upon health, are you not?
He. Very—in the lecture-room. And now, if you are rested, we will have another turn.
[Exeunt dancing.