PETER. What a fine little housewife! A busy girl about the house, eh,
Fritz? Is there anything you need to-day, Katie?
CATHERINE. No, Uncle Peter, I have everything I need, thank you.
PETER. Not everything,—not everything, my dear. [Smiling at FREDERIK. JAMES, ignored, is standing in the background.] Wait! Wait till I give you a husband. I have my plans. [Looking from FREDERIK to CATHERINE.] People don't always know what I'm doing, but I'm a great man for planning. Come, Katie, tell me, on this fine spring morning, what sort of husband would you prefer?
CATHERINE. [Annoyed,—with girlish impatience.] You're always speaking of weddings, Uncle Peter. I don't know what's come over you of late.
PETER. It's nesting time, … spring weddings are in the air; besides, my grandmother's linen-chest upstairs must be used again for you [Impulsively drawing CATHERINE to him.], my house fairy. [Kisses her.] There, I mustn't tease her. But I leave it to Fritz if I don't owe her a fine husband—this girl of mine. Look what she has done for me!
CATHERINE. Done for you? I do you the great favour to let you do everything for me.
PETER. Ah, but who lays out my linen? Who puts flowers on my desk every day? Who gets up at dawn to eat breakfast with me? Who sees that I have my second cup of coffee? But better than all that—who brings youth into my old house?
CATHERINE. That's not much—youth.
PETER. No? We'll leave it to Fritz. [FREDERIK, amused, listens in silence.] What should I be now—a rough old fellow—a bachelor—without youth in my house, eh? God knows! Katie has softened me towards all the ladies—er—mellowed me as time has mellowed my old pictures. [Points to pictures.] And I was growing hard—hard and fussy.
CATHERINE. [Laughing.] Ah, Uncle Peter, have I made you take a liking to all the rest of the ladies?