[Exit C.-C.
Arnold. Hulloa! [He comes in.] Oh, Elizabeth, I’ve found an illustration here of a chair which is almost identical with mine. It’s dated 1750. Look!
Elizabeth. That’s very interesting.
Arnold. I want to show it to Porteous. [Moving a chair which has been misplaced.] You know, it does exasperate me the way people will not leave things alone. I no sooner put a thing in its place than somebody moves it.
Elizabeth. It must be maddening for you.
Arnold. It is. You are the worst offender. I can’t think why you don’t take the pride that I do in the house. After all, it’s one of the show places in the county.
Elizabeth. I’m afraid you find me very unsatisfactory.
Arnold. [Good-humouredly.] I don’t know about that. But my two subjects are politics and decoration. I should be a perfect fool if I didn’t see that you don’t care two straws about either.
Elizabeth. We haven’t very much in common, Arnold, have we?
Arnold. I don’t think you can blame me for that.