Dolly Dialogues [26]
fellow."
"One of the best fellows alive," I agreed.
"I wonder why she married him, though," mused George; and he added, with apparent irrelevance, "It's a dashed bore, going up." And then a smile spread over his face; a blush accompanied it, and proclaimed George's sense of delicious wickedness. I turned on him.
"Out with it!" I said.
"It's nothing. Don't be a fool," said George.
"Where did you get that rose?" I asked.
"This rose?" he repeated, fondling the blossom. "It was given to me."
Upon this I groaned--and I still consider that I had good reason for my action. It was the groan of a moralist.
"They've asked me to stay at The Towers next vac.," said George, glancing at me out of the corner of an immoral eye. Perhaps he thought it too immoral, for he added, "It's all right, Sam." I believe that I have as much self control as most people, but at this point I chuckled.
"What the deuce are you laughing at?" asked George.
I made no answer, and he went on--
"You never told me what a--what she was like, Sam. Wanted to keep it to yourself, you old dog."
"George--George--George!" said I. "You go up tomorrow?"
"Yes, confound it!"
"And term lasts two months?"
"Yes, hang it!"
"All is well," said I, crossing my legs. "There is more virtue in two months than in Ten Commandments."
George regarded me with a dispassionate air.
"You're an awful ass sometimes," he observed critically, and he rose from his seat.
"Must you go?" said I.
"Yes--got a lot of things to do. Look here, Sam, don't go and talk about--"
"Talk about what?"
"Anything, you old idiot," said George, with a pleased smile, and he dug me in the ribs with his cane, and departed.
I sat on, admiring the simple elements which constitute the happiness of the young. Alas! With advancing years, Wrong loses half its flavor! To be improper ceases, by itself, to satisfy.
Immersed in these reflections, I failed to notice that a barouche had stopped opposite to me; and suddenly I found a footman addressing me.
"Beg your pardon, sir," he said. "Her ladyship wishes to speak to you."
"It is a blessed thing to be young, Martin," I observed.
"Yes, sir," said Martin. "It's a fine day, sir."
"But very short," said I. Martin is respectful, and said nothing--to me, at least. What he said to the coachman, I don't know.
And then I went up to Dolly.
"Get in and drive round," suggested Dolly.
"I can't," said I. "I have a bad nose."
"What's the matter with your nose?" asked Dolly, smiling.
"The joint is injured," said I, getting into the barouche. And I added severely, "I suppose I'd better sit with my back to the horses?"
"Oh, no, you're not my husband," said Dolly. "Sit here;" and she made room by her, as she continued, "I rather like Mr. George."
"I'm ashamed of you," I observed. "Considering your age--"
"Mr. Carter!"
"Considering, I say, his age, your conduct is scandalous. I shall never introduce any nice boys to you again."
"Oh, please do," said Dolly, clasping her hands.
"You give them roses," said I, accusingly. "You make them false to their earliest loves--"
"She was a pudding-faced thing," observed Dolly.
I frowned. Dolly, by an accident, allowed the tip of her finger to touch my arm for an instant.
"He's a nice boy," said she. "How like he is to you, Mr. Carter!"
"I am a long way past that," said I. "I am thirty-six."
"If you mean to be disagreeable!" said she turning away. "I beg your pardon for touching you, Mr. Carter."
"I did not notice it, Lady Mickleham."
"Would you like to get out?"
"It's miles from my club," said I discontentedly.
"He's such fun," said Dolly, with a sudden smile. "He told Archie that I was the most charming woman in London! You've never done that!"
"He said the same about the pudding-faced girl," I observed.
There was a pause. Then Dolly asked:
"How is your nose?"
"The carriage exercise is doing it good," said I.
"If," observed Dolly, "he is so silly, now, what will he be at your
"One of the best fellows alive," I agreed.
"I wonder why she married him, though," mused George; and he added, with apparent irrelevance, "It's a dashed bore, going up." And then a smile spread over his face; a blush accompanied it, and proclaimed George's sense of delicious wickedness. I turned on him.
"Out with it!" I said.
"It's nothing. Don't be a fool," said George.
"Where did you get that rose?" I asked.
"This rose?" he repeated, fondling the blossom. "It was given to me."
Upon this I groaned--and I still consider that I had good reason for my action. It was the groan of a moralist.
"They've asked me to stay at The Towers next vac.," said George, glancing at me out of the corner of an immoral eye. Perhaps he thought it too immoral, for he added, "It's all right, Sam." I believe that I have as much self control as most people, but at this point I chuckled.
"What the deuce are you laughing at?" asked George.
I made no answer, and he went on--
"You never told me what a--what she was like, Sam. Wanted to keep it to yourself, you old dog."
"George--George--George!" said I. "You go up tomorrow?"
"Yes, confound it!"
"And term lasts two months?"
"Yes, hang it!"
"All is well," said I, crossing my legs. "There is more virtue in two months than in Ten Commandments."
George regarded me with a dispassionate air.
"You're an awful ass sometimes," he observed critically, and he rose from his seat.
"Must you go?" said I.
"Yes--got a lot of things to do. Look here, Sam, don't go and talk about--"
"Talk about what?"
"Anything, you old idiot," said George, with a pleased smile, and he dug me in the ribs with his cane, and departed.
I sat on, admiring the simple elements which constitute the happiness of the young. Alas! With advancing years, Wrong loses half its flavor! To be improper ceases, by itself, to satisfy.
Immersed in these reflections, I failed to notice that a barouche had stopped opposite to me; and suddenly I found a footman addressing me.
"Beg your pardon, sir," he said. "Her ladyship wishes to speak to you."
"It is a blessed thing to be young, Martin," I observed.
"Yes, sir," said Martin. "It's a fine day, sir."
"But very short," said I. Martin is respectful, and said nothing--to me, at least. What he said to the coachman, I don't know.
And then I went up to Dolly.
"Get in and drive round," suggested Dolly.
"I can't," said I. "I have a bad nose."
"What's the matter with your nose?" asked Dolly, smiling.
"The joint is injured," said I, getting into the barouche. And I added severely, "I suppose I'd better sit with my back to the horses?"
"Oh, no, you're not my husband," said Dolly. "Sit here;" and she made room by her, as she continued, "I rather like Mr. George."
"I'm ashamed of you," I observed. "Considering your age--"
"Mr. Carter!"
"Considering, I say, his age, your conduct is scandalous. I shall never introduce any nice boys to you again."
"Oh, please do," said Dolly, clasping her hands.
"You give them roses," said I, accusingly. "You make them false to their earliest loves--"
"She was a pudding-faced thing," observed Dolly.
I frowned. Dolly, by an accident, allowed the tip of her finger to touch my arm for an instant.
"He's a nice boy," said she. "How like he is to you, Mr. Carter!"
"I am a long way past that," said I. "I am thirty-six."
"If you mean to be disagreeable!" said she turning away. "I beg your pardon for touching you, Mr. Carter."
"I did not notice it, Lady Mickleham."
"Would you like to get out?"
"It's miles from my club," said I discontentedly.
"He's such fun," said Dolly, with a sudden smile. "He told Archie that I was the most charming woman in London! You've never done that!"
"He said the same about the pudding-faced girl," I observed.
There was a pause. Then Dolly asked:
"How is your nose?"
"The carriage exercise is doing it good," said I.
"If," observed Dolly, "he is so silly, now, what will he be at your