"But, Father, how can I help it?"
Merriwig paid no attention to her.
"I come home," he went on indignantly, "fresh from the—er—spoils of victory to what I thought was my own peaceful—er—home. And what do I find? Somebody here wants to marry somebody there, and somebody else over there wants to marry somebody else over here; it's impossible to mention any person's name, in even the most casual way, without being told they are going to get married, or some nonsense of that sort. I'm very much upset about it."
"Oh, Father!" said Hyacinth penitently. "Won't you see the Countess yourself and talk to her?"
"To think that for weeks I have been looking forward to my return home and that now I should be met with this! It has quite spoilt my day."
"Father!" cried Hyacinth, coming towards him with outstretched hands.
"Let me send for her ladyship," began Coronel; "perhaps she——"
"No, no," said Merriwig, waving them away. "I am very much displeased with you both. What I have to do, I can do quite well by myself."
He strode out and slammed the door behind him.
Hyacinth and Coronel looked at each other blankly.