Show III A IEC RETGj III BY ANTHONY HOPE Copyright 1895 by Anthony Hope Why do that Js it kind Is it considerate I made this speech out of the window win-dow And it was addressed though not in su h tones as to be audible to a lady who was waUking down my street and holding her parasol in the precise position that prevented me from seeing her face That is a thing which I detest and I was about to apostrophise the lady further when to my gratification she stopped at my door In another moment the servant showed her into my room My distant but dear cousin staid I is this proper If somebody ftrere to come and you were to take refuge in my bedroom and leaveas of course you would that parasol in a prominent position on my table there would be grave Nonsense Were cousins That in itself is a most suspicious eircumtance I observed I cametotell you said Cousin Plo sifting down and untying hot boa something With a big S A pretty big S said Cousin Flo Tut tut said I scornfully Im growing tired of thIs Of wlliat f Why of hearing that youre engaged en-gaged again It no longer appals me Im not engaged again remarked Cousin Flo Im sorry you bhould be disappointed I though I made sure you were Why please 1 Because you hid your face with your parasol Well Im net But somebody is Oh I had surfi fun I caught them In the back drawing room you never Saw two people so bashful I suppose I observed that youll work back to the beglnnng in time wont you Colonel Glazebrook simply ran away and mamma hid her face in the sofa cushions Aunt Maud Yes Isnt It Yes Oh Isnt it Well Im Now Dick yottre not to say anything any-thing Youre too young you know I sat down by Cousin Plo Cant the young peopile afford to marry I asked anxiously The colonel is pretty well off And mamma Has to buy your frocks What a comfort it is to find a man who Isnt mercenary I think the bars of Ihl present day are very rude Oh Dick dont Youll spoil my boa r Has it been on for long I asked I saw signals of it last season said Flo nodding sagaciously From the school room wnidows you mean I inquired innocently Cousin Flo took no notice at all Of this remark Im very glad she pursued Mamma Mam-ma is still so pretty you know and the colonels an old dear Perhaps youre jealous of Aunt Maud < MaudReally I think am laughed l Flp lilt annoys me also in > a way said I Because you must recollect th tAunt t-Aunt Maud is not an aunt at all but some particular ixjmove of cousin I forget what Oh something once removed I It dtoesnt s ter how absurd a hypothesis hy-pothesis is said I severely Its a basis for argument I never argue said < Cousin Flo And suppose that you refused me or I came to the conclusion ithat you were not a good girt see I Yes I see Give me back my boa p3ease I I Witty then I should have married I I Aunt Maud Now I cant because the i the colonel And thus saying I handed hand-ed her boa back to Cousin Mo Youve tied a knot in it she said with a frown I It was owing to my agitation I I pleaded You dont look very agitated observed I ob-served Plo untying ithe knot Perhaps not but I am I am ctoan paratively unacoustomed to making proposals I jj11cic1i Ift bL T Id2 V I Caught Them iu the Buck Draw iiig Hoom To doing what cried < Cousin Plo liTo laying my heart and ail ony woiMly possessions Flo looked round The furniture I pursued though secondhand is sound I Should think so said Plo most unkindly that the same description would suit your heart And she turned the tip of her nose toward the ceiling Nature helps her a trifle at sUCh moments Well I dont object to that myself You reject meand the furniture I asked Unhesitatingly said Cousin Plo Yet I observed much as the late Lord Beaconsfleld is reported to have < done the itlme will com when you will accept me Flo had put the boa round her neck again she now held an end in either hand and beat the ends softly against one another She was evidently thinking think-ing for she frowned and grew quite grave Thats the worst of it she said at last everybody says that I know they do said I calmly Its true you see We cant help it Why not4 asked Flo rebelliously Its so eminenty suitable said L Flo sighed and beat the ends of the boa together = t ItS d 4fllflA Yi YI k d A s I A7V 77a V Li1M 4 4f 7 Jj1PF hj1j p V e 3 = I L SUPPOSE SAID I < TIIAT I WERE IN LOVE WITH YOU OUT CURB NOT DICK If some cousins I anurmured longingly I long-ingly could be once for all removed re-moved I Cousin Flo rose with dignity I pros < trated myself We resumed tine conversation i con-versation Inasmuch therefore said I as Aunt Maud i is not an aunt but a cousin I have considered her in the light of a resource Youve considered mamma exclaimed ex-claimed Flo Exactly Its like Esmond dont you know I Dike Esmond echoed Plo with Innocent widening eyes You remember tihat when he didnt hit It off with Trix he very composed Qy married her mother That must have been raiher funny observed Flo with a smile of interest The dear girl does not read much Did it succeed To perfection said I Why shouldnt it Flo considered this question for a moment sighed in a puzled way and observed Perhaps they > didVt see muCh of Trix I dont think they did I < Anyhow said Flo raising her eyes which are brown to mine I dont see what its got Ito do with you Dick Suppose said I that I were in love with you But youre not Dick r t 2 < 1 i I I hate suitable things she observed ob-served I So do I And I made every effort to avoid this one I Why just now you asked me r Oh but I was quite sure youd1 refuse re-fuse fuseFor For bhe second time Flo rose to her I feet I I call that she said the very rudest I rud-est thing that I have ever had said tome to-me You are very very very hard to please said I mournfully Plo stood prodding the floor with the point of her parasol And then she said quite suddenly I accept you Mercy on us I cried But pursued Plo its ito be a secret for the present and youre not to behave as if we were engaged Howls that I inquired I dont know but youre not to doLt do-Lt Only youre just not to be in love with anybody else and youre to wait quite patiently and faithfully until I choose To make me happy I asked a touch of satire in my voice Or said Flo buttoning her glove to put an end to the arrangement There was a long puase Flo looked at mewith a slightly Scornful smile It will be very good for you she said And it wont be the least inconvenient incon-venient to me I I I I < q iiij > 1 5 Then We are betrotHed I asked Certainly said Cousin Plo 1 In that case said I assuming a firm air I must insist that an Immediate Immedi-ate end be put to your acquaintance I i with Capt Worsley I shall do nothing of the sort said Flo haughtily Im very fond of Capt I Worsley Florence said I I have a right to ask it of you I Dont be ridiculous said Flo and a charming tint of color appeared in her I cheeks You sat out five dances with him I last Tuesdaytfilght j J How do you know I Because I was sitting with Fhmppa I March just on the other side of that big palm said I in sombre triumph I hate that girl remarked Plo looking at the ceiling Shes awfully bad form I smiled i Its not that in the least said Flo I now quite red I think youre the norridest boy I ever knew I I I smiled again I could not have done anything better Flo walked towards the door I Florence is it really all over between be-tween us I asked in pathetic accents Yes said Flo stopping but not looking round Ah freedom TVhat a divine thing art 1 cried thou Its all overfor the present aid Flo suddenly turning round pride said I Oh youve no proper devoted Youre so absurdly impatiently < voted to me that Now Dick at4 she held up a warning finger Well 1 said I defiantly Flo made no answer Youll be coming to see mamma soon I suppose She asked This very afternoon said I better observed Flo It will be with a discreet air to say nothing about this It is to be a secret Yes said Flo She < turned and walked out of the room I stood for a moment in thought her and Then I rushed hastily after cried over the stairs What is the secret Why whats happened she answered an-swered with a smile of surprise But what has happened I insisted Flo opened her parasol sloped it over her shoulder and glanced up at meIt just depends said Cousin Pie Some people may consider that a satisfactory I sat-isfactory state of things I have some I selfrespect and I went not to Aunt Mauds but to tea with Philippa JIarch |