Hilda always has gone in for literary people. That's the worst of marrying a cavalryman, it leads you to attach so much importance to brains.
Mabel.
Yes, but she needn't marry them. If she wants to encourage Basil let her do it from a discreet distance. Genius always thrives best on bread and water and platonic attachments. If Hilda marries him he'll only become fat and ugly and bald-headed and stupid.
John.
Why, then he'll make an ideal Member of Parliament.
[Basil and Hilda come into the room again.
Mabel.
[Maliciously.] Well, what have you been talking about?
Hilda.
[Acidly.] The weather and the crops, Shakespeare and the Musical Glasses.