]
JOHN [on his dignity]. Don't be in such a hurry, Maggie.
MAGGIE. Is this Lamb's Hotel? Put me on to the Comtesse de la Briere,
please.
SYBIL [with a sinking]. What do you want with Auntie?
MAGGIE. Her cottage in the country would be the very place. She
invited John and me.
JOHN. Yes, but--
MAGGIE [arguing]. And Mr. Venables is to be there. Think of the
impression you could make on HIM, seeing him daily for three weeks.
JOHN. There's something in that.
MAGGIE. Is it you, Comtesse? I'm Maggie Shand.
SYBIL. You are not to tell her that--?
MAGGIE. No. [To the COMTESSE] Oh, I'm very well, never was better.
Yes, yes; you see I can't, because my folk have never been in London
before, and I must take them about and show them the sights. But John
could come to you alone; why not?
JOHN [with proper pride]. If she's not keen to have me, I won't go.
MAGGIE. She's very keen. Comtesse, I could come for a day by and by
to see how you are getting on. Yes--yes--certainly. [To JOHN] She
says she'll be delighted.
JOHN [thoughtfully]. You're not doing this, Maggie, thinking that my
being absent from Sybil for a few weeks can make any difference? Of
course it's natural you should want us to keep apart, but--
MAGGIE [grimly]. I'm founding no hope on keeping you apart, John.
JOHN. It's what other wives would do.
MAGGIE. I promised to be different.
Pages:
71
72
73
74
75
76
77
78
79
80
81
82
83
84
85
86
87
88
89
90
91
92
93
94
95