SWEET. Certainly! Haven’t you been boasting about your happiness, and your influence over your wife, ever since you have been down here? What the devil was that to me? What was it to me whether she contradicted you or not? My wife was in the habit of contradicting me, and I was accustomed to it.
SHORT. Come—come!
SWEET. I shan’t! I say you have destroyed all my domestic peace! (crossing to L.)
SHORT. You misunderstand me, Sweet. Is that the way to talk to a friend?
SWEET. You are no friend of mine—you’re an interfering meddling old fellow. That has always been your great fault—interfering in what doesn’t concern you! (sits, L.)
SHORT. Come, I say, that’s a little too strong! Weren’t you everlastingly boring me with your complaints—how I did this, and how I did t’other. Why I was always able to get my own way, when you couldn’t get yours. Well, then, since you’re so ungrateful—since you put me to it—I’ll tell you why. Simply because your wife doesn’t care a straw for you!
SWEET. (rises) Short!
SHORT. No, not a button, depend upon it.
SWEET. It’s false—she does. Give me your reason for saying so.
SHORT. What better proof of it can you have than the fact of you not being happy with her? You see how happy I am with mine.