LATIMER. Naturally Leonard does not wish to say anything against Eustasia. Very creditable to him. But can it be that the devoted wife by his side wishes to say anything against Leonard?
EUSTASIA. You neglected me, Leonard, you know you did. And when I was so ill——
[155]LEONARD. My dear, you were always ill. That was the trouble.
LATIMER. And you were never ill, Leonard. That was the trouble.... You heartless ruffian!
EUSTASIA (to LEONARD). Hush, dear.
LATIMER. Why couldn’t you have had a cold sometimes? Why couldn’t you have come home with a broken leg, or lost your money, or made a rotten speech in the House of Lords? If she could never be sorry for you, for whom else could she be sorry, except herself? (To EUSTASIA) I don’t suppose he even lost his umbrella, did he?
ANNE (feeling that anything is possible to a man who mislays his trousers). Oh, he must have lost that.
LATIMER. Eustasia, ladies and gentlemen, is one of those dear women, those sweet women, those delightful women—(aside to ANNE)—stop me if I’m overdoing it—those adorable women who must always cosset or be cosseted. She couldn’t cosset Leonard; Leonard wouldn’t cosset her. Hence—the Dover Road.
EUSTASIA. How well you understand, Mr. Latimer!
LATIMER. Enter, then, my friend Nicholas. (Shaking his head at him) Oh, Nicholas! Oh, Nicholas! Oh, Nicholas!