It is evening;a full yellow moon is shining through the branches of the hollow tree.The Chinese lanterns are alight.
There is dancing in the house;the music sounds now loud,now soft.MISS BEECH is sitting on the rustic seat in a black bunchy evening dress,whose inconspicuous opening is inlaid with white.She slowly fans herself.
DICK comes from the house in evening dress.He does not see Miss BEECH.
DICK.Curse![A short silence.]Curse!
MISS BEECH.Poor young man!
DICK.[With a start.]Well,Peachey,I can't help it [He fumbles off his gloves.]
MISS BEECH.Did you ever know any one that could?
DICK.[Earnestly.It's such awfully hard lines on Joy.I can't get her out of my head,lying there with that beastly headache while everybody's jigging round.
MISS BEECH.Oh!you don't mind about yourself--noble young man!
DICK.I should be a brute if I did n't mind more for her.
MISS BEECH.So you think it's a headache,do you?
DICK.Did n't you hear what Mrs.Gwyn said at dinner about the sun?
[With inspiration.]I say,Peachey,could n't you--could n't you just go up and give her a message from me,and find out if there 's anything she wants,and say how brutal it is that she 's seedy;it would be most awfully decent of you.And tell her the dancing's no good without her.Do,Peachey,now do!Ah!and look here!
[He dives into the hollow of the tree,and brings from out of it a pail of water in which are placed two bottles of champagne,and some yellow irises--he takes the irises.]
You might give her these.I got them specially for her,and I have n't had a chance.
MISS BEECH.[Lifting a bottle.]What 's this?
DICK.Fizz.The Colonel brought it from the George.It 's for supper;he put it in here because of--[Smiling faintly]--Mrs.Hope,I think.Peachey,do take her those irises.
MISS.BEECH.D'you think they'll do her any good ?
DICK.[Crestfallen.]I thought she'd like--I don't want to worry her--you might try.
[MISS BEECH shakes her head.]
Why not?
MISS BEECH.The poor little creature won't let me in.
DICK.You've been up then!
MISS BEECH.[Sharply.]Of course I've been up.I've not got a stone for my heart,young man!
DICK.All right!I suppose I shall just have to get along somehow.
MISS BEECH.[With devilry.]That's what we've all got to do.
DICK.[Gloomily.)But this is too brutal for anything!
MISS BEECH.Worse than ever happened to any one!
DICK.I swear I'm not thinking of myself.
MISS BEECH.Did y'ever know anybody that swore they were?
DICK.Oh!shut up!
MISS BEECH.You'd better go in and get yourself a partner.
DICK.[With pale desperation.]Look here,Peachey,I simply loathe all those girls.
MISS BEECH.Ah-h![Ironically.]Poor lot,are n't they?
DICK.All right;chaff away,it's good fun,isn't it?It makes me sick to dance when Joy's lying there.Her last night,too!
MISS BEECH.[Sidling to him.]You're a good young man,and you 've got a good heart.
[She takes his hand,and puts it to her cheek.]
DICK.Peachey--I say,Peachey d'you think there 's--I mean d'you think there'll ever be any chance for me?
MISS BEECH.I thought that was coming!I don't approve of your ****** love at your time of life;don't you think I 'm going to encourage you.
DICK.But I shall be of age in a year;my money's my own,it's not as if I had to ask any one's leave;and I mean,I do know my own mind.
MISS BEECH.Of course you do.Nobody else would at your age,but you do.
DICK.I would n't ask her to promise,it would n't be fair when she 's so young,but I do want her to know that I shall never change.
MISS BEECH.And suppose--only suppose--she's fond of you,and says she'll never change.
DICK.Oh!Peachey!D'you think there's a chance of that--do you?
MISS BEECH.A-h-h!
DICK.I wouldn't let her bind herself,I swear I wouldn't.
[Solemnly.]I'm not such a selfish brute as you seem to think.
MISS BEECH.[Sidling close to him and in a violent whisper.]Well--have a go!
DICK.Really?You are a brick,Peachey!
[He kisses her.]
MISS BEACH.[Yielding pleasurably;then remembering her principles.]
Don't you ever say I said so!You're too young,both of you.
DICK.But it is exceptional--I mean in my case,is n't it?
[The COLONEL and MRS.GWYN are coming down the lawn.]
MISS BEECH.Oh!very!
[She sits beneath the tree and fans herself.]
COLONEL.The girls are all sitting out,****!I've been obliged to dance myself.Phew!
[He mops his brow.]
[DICK swinging round goes rushing off towards the house.]
[Looking after him.]Hallo!What's the matter with him?Cooling your heels,Peachey?By George!it's hot.Fancy the poor devils in London on a night like this,what?[He sees the moon.]It's a full moon.You're lucky to be down here,Molly.
MRS.GWYN.(In a low voice.]Very!
MISS BEECH.Oh!so you think she's lucky,do you?
COLONEL.[Expanding his nostrils.]Delicious scent to-night!Hay and roses--delicious.
[He seats himself between them.]
A shame that poor child has knocked up like this.Don't think it was the sun myself--more likely neuralgic--she 's subject to neuralgia,Molly.
MRS.GWYN.[Motionless.]I know.
COLONEL.Got too excited about your coming.I told Nell not to keep worrying her about her frock,and this is the result.But your Aunt --you know--she can't let a thing alone!
MISS BEECH.Ah!'t isn't neuralgia.
[MRS.GWYN looks at her quickly and averts her eyes.]
COLONEL.Excitable little thing.You don't understand her,Peachey.
MISS BEECH.Don't I?
COLONEL.She's all affection.Eh,Molly?I remember what I was like at her age,a poor affectionate little rat,and now look at me!
MISS BEECH.[Fanning herself.]I see you.
COLONEL.[A little sadly.]We forget what we were like when we were young.She's been looking forward to to-night ever since you wrote;and now to have to go to bed and miss the,dancing.Too bad!
MRS.GWYN.Don't,Uncle Tom!
COLONEL.[Patting her hand.]There,there,old girl,don't think about it.She'll be all right tomorrow.
MISS BEECH.If I were her mother I'd soon have her up.
COLONEL.Have her up with that headache!What are you talking about,Peachey?
MISS BEECH.I know a remedy.