MAJOR (aside). She’s quite right! I’m master here after all, confound it! If I’m not, I ought to be; and if I ought to be, I will be, confound it! (Aloud, and assuming an authoritative manner.) My patience is exhausted! Anarchy has presided too long over my domestic hearth.
FANNY (aside to him). Confound it!
MAJOR. Confound it!
| MRS. P. | } | Quite true! |
| MRS. MAJOR. |
MAJOR. And henceforth I’m determined to be master of my own house. (FANNY whispers him.) Confound it!
MAJOR. But there must be a mistress as well.
| MRS. P. | } | Of course! Well (anxiously), decidebetween us. |
| MRS. MAJOR. |
MAJOR. That’s what I’m going to do. (Aside.) It’s really very awkward! My mother screams loudest, but my wife screams longest; besides, I only hear my mother in the day, whereas my wife—
MRS. P. (to MAJOR). Well? which of the two is to be mistress here?