ANNA. As long as I"m welcome.
ELIZABETH. And this is Mr. Luton.
C.-C. How do you do? Do you play bridge?
LUTON. I do.
C.-C. Capital. Do you declare without top honours?
LUTON. Never.
C.-C. Of such is the kingdom of heaven. I see that you are a good young man.
LUTON. But, like the good in general, I am poor.
C.-C. Never mind; if your principles are right, you can play ten shillings a hundred without danger. I never play less, and I never play more.
ARNOLD. And you--are you going to stay long, father?
C.-C. To luncheon, if you"ll have me.
[_ARNOLD gives ELIZABETH a hara.s.sed look._
ELIZABETH. That"ll be jolly.
ARNOLD. I didn"t mean that. Of course you"re going to stay for luncheon. I meant, how long are you going to stay down here?
C.-C. A week.
[_There is a moment"s pause. Everyone but CHAMPION-CHENEY is slightly embarra.s.sed._
TEDDIE. I think we"d better chuck our tennis.
ELIZABETH. Yes. I want my father-in-law to tell me what they"re wearing in Paris this week.
TEDDIE. I"ll go and put the rackets away.
[_TEDDIE goes out._
ARNOLD. It"s nearly one o"clock, Elizabeth.
ELIZABETH. I didn"t know it was so late.
ANNA. [_To ARNOLD._] I wonder if I can persuade you to take a turn in the garden before luncheon.
ARNOLD. [_Jumping at the idea._] I"d love it.
[_ANNA goes out of the window, and as he follows her he stops irresolutely._
I want you to look at this chair I"ve just got. I think it"s rather good.
C.-C. Charming.
ARNOLD. About 1750, I should say. Good design, isn"t it? It hasn"t been restored or anything.
C.-C. Very pretty.
ARNOLD. I think it was a good buy, don"t you?
C.-C. Oh, my dear boy! you know I"m entirely ignorant about these things.
ARNOLD. It"s exactly my period ... I shall see you at luncheon, then.
[_He follows ANNA through the window._
C.-C. Who is that young man?
ELIZABETH. Mr. Luton. He"s only just been demobilised. He"s the manager of a rubber estate in the F.M.S.
C.-C. And what are the F.M.S. when they"re at home?
ELIZABETH. The Federated Malay States. He joined up at the beginning of the war. He"s just going back there.
C.-C. And why have we been left alone in this very marked manner?
ELIZABETH. Have we? I didn"t notice it.
C.-C. I suppose it"s difficult for the young to realise that one may be old without being a fool.
ELIZABETH. I never thought you that. Everyone knows you"re very intelligent.
C.-C. They certainly ought to by now. I"ve told them often enough. Are you a little nervous?
ELIZABETH. Let me feel my pulse. [_She puts her finger on her wrist._]
It"s perfectly regular.
C.-C. When I suggested staying to luncheon Arnold looked exactly like a dose of castor oil.
ELIZABETH. I wish you"d sit down.
C.-C. Will it make it easier for you? [_He takes a chair._] You have evidently something very disagreeable to say to me.
ELIZABETH. You won"t be cross with me?
C.-C. How old are you?
ELIZABETH. Twenty-five.