MRS.HOPE.Well,if I'd thought you'd have forgotten what you said this morning and turned about like this,d'you suppose I'd have spoken to you at all?Now,do you?
COLONEL.Rubbish!If you can't see that this is a special opportunity!
[He walks away followed by MRS.HOPE,who endeavors to make him see her point of view.ERNEST and LETTY are now returning from the house armed with a third chair.]
LETTY.What's the matter with everybody?Is it the heat?
ERNEST.[Preoccupied and sitting in the swing.]That sportsman,Lever,you know,ought to be warned off.
LETTY.[Signing t0ERNEST.]Where's Miss Joy,Rose?
ROSE.Don't know,Miss.
[Putting down the tray,she goes.]
[ROSE,has followed with the tea tray.]
LETTY.Ernie,be careful,you never know where Joy is.
ERNEST.[Preoccupied with his reflections.]Your old Dad 's as mad as a hatter with me.
LETTY.Why?
ERNEST.Well,I merely said what I thought,that Molly ought to look out what's she's doing,and he dropped on me like a cartload of bricks.
LETTY.The Dad's very fond of Molly.
ERNEST.But look here,d'you mean to tell me that she and Lever are n't--LETTY.Don't!Suppose they are!If joy were to hear it'd be simply awful.I like Molly.I 'm not going to believe anything against her.I don't see the use of it.If it is,it is,and if it is n't,it is n't.
ERNEST.Well,all I know is that when I told her the mine was probably a frost she went for me like steam.
LETTY.Well,so should I.She was only sticking up for her friends.
ERNEST.Ask the old Peachey-bird.She knows a thing or two.Look here,I don't mind a man's being a bit of a sportsman,but I think Molly's bringin'him down here is too thick.Your old Dad's got one of his notions that because this Josser's his guest,he must keep him in a glass case,and take shares in his mine,and all the rest of it.
LETTY.I do think people are horrible,always thinking things.It's not as if Molly were a stranger.She's my own cousin.I 'm not going to believe anything about my own cousin.I simply won't.
ERNEST.[Reluctantly realising the difference that this makes.]Isuppose it does make a difference,her bein'your cousin.
LETTY.Of course it does!I only hope to goodness no one will make Joy suspect--[She stops and buts her finger to her lips,for JOY is coming towards them,as the tea-bell sounds.She is followed by DICKand MISS BEECH with the Eau de Cologne.The COLONEL and MRS.
HOPE are also coming back,discussing still each other's point of view.]
JOY.Where 's Mother?Isn't she here?
MRS.HOPE.Now Joy,come and sit down;your mother's been told tea's ready;if she lets it get cold it's her lookout.
DICK.[Producing a rug,and spreading it beneath the tree.]Plenty of room,Joy.
JOY.I don't believe Mother knows,Aunt Nell.
[MRS.GWYN and LEVER appear in the opening of the wall.]
LETTY.[Touching ERNEST's arm.]Look,Ernie!Four couples and Peachey--ERNEST.[Preoccupied.]What couples?
JOY.Oh!Mums,here you are!
[Seizing her,she turns her back on LEVER.They sit in various seats,and MRS.HOPE pours out the tea.]
MRS.HOPE.Hand the sandwiches to Mr.Lever,Peachey.It's our own jam,Mr.Lever.
LEVER.Thanks.[He takes a bite.]It's splendid!
MRS.GWYN.[With forced gaiety.]It's the first time I've ever seen you eat jam.
LEVER.[Smiling a forced smile.]Really!But I love it.
MRS.GWYN.[With a little bow.]You always refuse mine.
JOY.[Who has been staring at her enemy,suddenly.]I'm all burnt up!Are n't you simply boiled,Mother?
[She touches her Mother's forehead.]
MRS.GWYN.Ugh!You're quite clammy,Joy.
JOY.It's enough to make any one clammy.
[Her eyes go back to LEVER'S face as though to stab him.]
ERNEST.[From the swing.]I say,you know,the glass is going down.
LEVER.[Suavely.]The glass in the hall's steady enough.
ERNEST.Oh,I never go by that;that's a rotten old glass.
COLONEL.Oh!is it?
ERNEST.[Paying no attention.]I've got a little ripper--never puts you in the cart.Bet you what you like we have thunder before tomorrow night.
MISS BEECH.[Removing her gaze from JOY to LEVER.]You don't think we shall have it before to-night,do you?
LEVER.[Suavely.]I beg your pardon;did you speak to me?
MISS BEECH.I said,you don't think we shall have the thunder before to-night,do you?
[She resumes her watch on joy.]
LEVER.[Blandly.]Really,I don't see any signs of it.
[Joy,crossing to the rug,flings herself down.And DICK sits cross-legged,with his eyes fast fixed on her.]
MISS BEECH.[Eating.]People don't often see what they don't want to,do they?
[LEVER only lifts his brows.]
MRS.GWYN.[Quickly breaking ivy.]What are you talking about?The weather's perfect.
MISS BEECH.Isn't it?
MRS.HOPE.You'd better make a good tea,Peachey;nobody'll get anything till eight,and then only cold shoulder.You must just put up with no hot dinner,Mr.Lever.
LEVER.[Bowing.]Whatever is good enough for Miss Beech is good enough for me.
MISS BEECH.[Sardonically-taking another sandwich.]So you think!
MRS.GWYN.[With forced gaiety.]Don't be so absurd,Peachey.
[MISS BEECH,grunts slightly.
COLONEL.[Once more busy with his papers.]I see the name of your engineer is Rodriguez--Italian,eh?
LEVER.Portuguese.
COLONEL.Don't like that!
LEVER.I believe he was born in England.
COLONEL.[Reassured.]Oh,was he?Ah!
ERNEST.Awful rotters,those Portuguese!
COLONEL.There you go!
LETTY.Well,Father,Ernie only said what you said.
MRS.HOPE.Now I want to ask you,Mr.Lever,is this gold mine safe?
If it isn't--I simply won't allow Tom to take these shares;he can't afford it.
LEVER.It rather depends on what you call safe,Mrs.Hope.
MRS.HOPE.I don't want anything extravagant,of course;if they're going to pay their 10per cent,regularly,and Tom can have his money out at any time--[There is a faint whistle from the swing.]I only want to know that it's a thoroughly genuine thing.
MRS.GWYN.[Indignantly.]As if Maurice would be a Director if it was n't?
MRS.HOPE.Now Molly,I'm simply asking--
MRS.GWYN.Yes,you are!