Mrs. Toov. Is there any reason why there shouldn't be supper afterwards, Pa?
Mr. Toov. Not in that house. Our dear friends the Cumberbatches do everything on such a truly hospitable scale. Now, most people in their position would have considered tea and coffee and sandwiches quite sufficient. Was it a hot supper, my love?
Mrs. Toov. (desperately). Yes—no—rather hot—I didn't notice. You ask such preposterous questions, Theophilus!
Mr. Toov. I didn't mean to. I was just a little surprised, do you know, at your taking a cab for such a short distance. I thought you might have felt unwell; but perhaps dear Mrs. Cumberbatch insisted——
Mrs. Toov. Why, of course, Pa; you know how kind and considerate she is; otherwise I should never have dreamed of——
Mr. Toov. Just what I thought, my love. But wasn't the cabman rather uncivil? I wonder you gave way to him—unless, of course, he was drunk.
Mrs. Toov. He was—disgracefully drunk, Pa; if you heard so much, you must have noticed that; and how you could sit quietly here and never think of coming to my assistance! Ah, it is hardly for you to reproach me for submitting to his extortion!
Mr. Toov. Indeed, my love, I'd no idea—you are generally so very firm with cabmen that—— (Changing the subject.) By-the-bye, I don't know if you noticed a note for you lying on the hall table? It must have come after you left. It looked to me wonderfully like dear Mrs. Cumberbatch's writing, but what could she have to write about when she would be seeing you directly? Did she allude to it at all?
Mrs. Toov. From Eliza Cumberbatch? No; at least, she—I'll go and get it. (She goes into the hall and finds the note.) Good gracious, it is Eliza's hand! (She reads it hurriedly under the hall-lamp.) "Just a line. Zenana meeting postponed at last moment. Will let you know when another day fixed. Well, it will save me the trouble of writing to her; but, oh dear, the stories I've been telling Pa! But he's as bad—I know he's as bad!
Mr. Toov. (as Mrs. T. returns). So you found the note, Cornelia, and what does Mrs. Cumberbatch say?