Cynthia. [Without warmth.] The calm? Yes—yes, it's—it's the calm.
Philip. [Sighs.] Yes, the calm—the Halcyon calm of—of second choice. H'm! [He reads and turns over the leaves of the paper. Cynthia reads. There is a silence.] After all, my dear—the feeling which I have for you—is—is—eh—the market is in a shocking condition of plethora! H'm—h'm—and what are you reading?
Cynthia. [Embarrassed.] Oh, eh—well—I—eh—I'm just running over the sporting news.
Philip. Oh! [He looks thoughtful.
Cynthia. [Beginning to forget Philip and to remember more interesting matters.] I fancied Hermes would come in an easy winner. He came in nowhere. Nonpareil was ridden by Henslow—he's a rotten bad rider. He gets nervous.
Philip. [Still interested in his newspaper.] Does he? H'm! I suppose you do retain an interest in horses and races. H'm—I trust some day the—ah—law will attract—Oh [Turning a page.], here's the report of my opinion in that dressmaker's case—Haggerty vs. Phillimore.
Cynthia. [Puzzled.] Was the case brought against you?
Philip. Oh—no. The suit was brought by Haggerty, Miss Haggerty, a dressmaker, against the—in fact, my dear, against the former Mrs. Phillimore. [After a pause, he returns to his reading.
Cynthia. [Curious about the matter.] How did you decide it?
Philip. I was obliged to decide in Mrs. Phillimore's favour. Haggerty's plea was preposterous.