The Betrothal

Chapter 31

Joy! Aren"t you ashamed?

JOY

But, mummy....

DADDY TYL

Come, come, there"s no great harm in it. We did as much, Mummy Tyl and I, when we were young, didn"t we, old lady?

MUMMY TYL

We did indeed!... They make such a pretty pair!...

THE NEIGHBOUR

That they do; but Joy is still very young and I"d like to think it over.

DADDY TYL

That"s right enough.... He"s very young too; but you won"t find a better boy in the whole country-side.... He"s a strong, healthy lad, with a civil tongue in his head, and he works like a n.i.g.g.e.r.... Think it over by all means, only, as this is a holiday, there"s no harm in their kissing each other; and let"s see them do it: it"s good for one!...

(_Seeing that_ TYLTYL _and_ JOY _do not move, he pushes them close together_.) Well?... Look at them: they don"t want to now!

TYLTYL

(_In a whisper, to_ JOY, _as he kisses her_.) It was better when we were by ourselves, wasn"t it?

JOY

(_Also whispering_.) Yes, it was!

TYLTYL

They were right, weren"t they?

JOY

Who?

TYLTYL

The others.

JOY

Yes.

TYLTYL

Don"t say a word to any one: it is our secret, yours and mine....

CURTAIN

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