GERVASE. Well, what about my beautiful world—the world that I had built up?
MELISANDE. I don't understand.
GERVASE. What about your pretence this morning? I thought you were so different from other women, but you're just the same, just the same. You were my true lady, my fairy Princess, this morning; and this afternoon the Queen, your mother, disabled herself by indigestion, tells me that you do all the housekeeping for her just like any ordinary commonplace girl. Your father, the King, has obviously never had a battle-axe in his hand in his life; your suitor, Prince Robert of Coote, is much more at home with a niblick than with a lance; and your cousin, the Lady Jane——
MELISANDE (sinking on to the sofa and hiding her face). Oh, cruel, cruel!
GERVASE (remorsefully). Oh, forgive me, Melisande. It was horrible of me.
MELISANDE. No, but it's true. How could any romance come into this house? Now you know why I wanted you to take me away—away to the ends of the earth with you.
GERVASE. Well, that's what I want to do.
MELISANDE. Ah, don't! When you're on the Stock Exchange!
GERVASE. But there's plenty of romance on the Stock Exchange. (Nodding his head) Oh yes, you want to look out for it.
MELISANDE (reproachfully). Now you're laughing at me again.