“Naturally, my love, if you will buy pyjamas like that!”
“—— to avenge a mortal insult to our honour. Woman, would you have our innocent daughter be spurned by the villain who seduced her?”
“These are strong words!” said the Duchess.
“I feel strongly about it,” said the Duke.
“And anyhow, she can’t be as innocent as all that,” said the Duchess thoughtfully, “now. I know girls. Oh, dear, what fun girls have!”
“Ethelberta, this English lord must die!”
“All English lords must die, my love, in due course. It is a law of nature. Now come back to bed.”
“I have worked the matter out very carefully, and that is why I am giving this ball. We cannot kill this coward out-of-hand by hiring some low assassin, for he is, after all, a gentleman. And besides, in this confounded country,” His Highness continued warmly, “you cannot fire a revolver without every policeman in the neighbourhood wanting to know why you did it. Therefore, the ball.”
“What, are you going to fire revolvers off at our ball? My love, are you sure that will be quite safe?”
“My idea is that the noise of the ball will screen the rattle of musketry. For that purpose I shall engage the most violent saxophone-player in the country. I have already taken advice on that point. The firing-party will, of course, be in the garden. So now, Ethelberta, you understand why we must give this——”