TRANTO. But that's just what I want to do.
HILDEGARDE. Please. One moment of your valuable time.
TRANTO. The whole of my life.
HILDEGARDE. Last night, why did you advise papa to give way to mamma and accept the baronetcy?
TRANTO. Did I?
TRANTO. Well—er—
HILDEGARDE. You know it's quite against his principles, and against mine and Johnnie's, not to speak of yours.
TRANTO. The fact is, you yourself had given me such an account of your mother's personality that I felt sure she'd win anyhow; and—and—for reasons of my own, I wished to be on the winning side. No harm in that, surely. And as regards principles, I have a theory about principles. Your father was much struck by it when I told him.
HILDEGARDE. Namely?