ALICE, meekly, ‘I suppose I am.’
COLONEL. ‘Mind you, I am not going to stand Cosmo’s thinking this of me.’
ALICE. ‘As if I would allow it for another hour! You won’t see much of me to-night, Robert. If I sleep at all it will be in Amy’s room.’
COLONEL, lugubriously, ‘You will be taking Molly from me to-morrow.’
ALICE. ‘I feel hopeful that Molly, too, will soon be taking care of me.’ She goes to him in her cajoling way: ‘With so many chaperones, Robert, I ought to do well. Oh, my dear, don’t think that I have learnt no lesson to-night.’
COLONEL, smiling, ‘Going to reform at last?’
ALICE, the most serious of women, ‘Yes, Robert. The Alice you have known is come to an end. To-morrow—’
COLONEL. ‘If she is different to-morrow I’ll disown her.’
ALICE. ‘It’s summer done, autumn begun. Farewell, summer, we don’t know you any more. My girl and I are like the little figures in the weather-house; when Amy comes out, Alice goes in. Alice Sit-by-the-fire henceforth. The moon is full to-night, Robert, but it isn’t looking for me any more. Taxis farewell—advance four-wheelers. I had a beautiful husband once, black as the raven was his hair—’
COLONEL. ‘Stop it.’