Percy. Read this note and you will understand it all. (Hands her Hattie’s note.) I hope you will forgive me, Helen. I will never do such a foolish thing again as long as I live.
Hel. (reading note aloud). Well, I declare! If this isn’t a remarkable coincidence. Why, she must have sent this to the post-office with Bill when I sent mine yesterday.
Percy. I received the two invitations at the same time. Imagine my surprise, and my feelings, too, when I read them.
Hel. Well, I am not a bit jealous of her, Percy. I consider this a great joke, indeed I do.
Percy. Oh, do you? You are not angry, then?
Hel. Angry? No. But say, Percy, if you could only get some one to come here and represent himself to be Percy Heartache, what a joke it would be! Miss Renwick is an old maid, and the way she paints her face is disgusting. Imagine her wanting to marry a handsome young artist! Why, she is artist enough herself.
(Laughs lightly, and Percy, much relieved, joins in.)
Percy. I wish I knew how to get out of this. Your suggestion is a good one, but who could I get to represent himself to be me? I suppose I might go back to the village and find some one, though.
Hel. (eagerly). Do it, Percy. You can find somebody who would do it just for the fun of it. I will tell mother about it. Here she comes now.
Enter Susan, R.