Mrs. C. Really, Arthur, you are more of a scatterbrain than I took you for!
Ger. Don't say that, aunt. I only take after my father.
Mrs. C. Don't talk to me of your father! I have no patience with him. A careless hard-hearted fellow—not worthy the name of a father! (She glares at SIR WALTER.)
Ger. You may go, William. (COL. G. retires slowly.)
Ger. Aunt, you have been a mother to me; but were you really my mother, I must not listen to such words of my father. He has good reasons for what he does, though I admit there is something in it we don't understand. (Aside.) If I could but understand how Constance—
Mrs. C. What do you say? What was that about Constance?
Ger. Oh, nothing, aunt. I was only thinking how difficult it is to understand people.
Mrs. C. If you mean Constance, I agree with you. She is a most provoking girl.
Ger. (smiling) I am sorry to hear that, aunt.
Mrs. C. I'm very glad you were never so silly as take a fancy to the girl. She would have led you a pretty dance! If you saw how she treats that unfortunate Waterfield! But what's bred in the bone won't out of the flesh.