The 'Mind the Paint' Girl Part 67

W-w-when, then. When we marry, you'll be obliged to resign your commission in the Guards, won't you?

FARNCOMBE.

[_Snapping his fingers._] P's.h.!.+ I shan't care a rap about that.

LILY.

[_s.n.a.t.c.hing her hand away._] The sn.o.bs! The sn.o.bs! They'd let you marry any bit of trash in your own set; but a Pandora girl, though she's as pure as the Queen of England----! Oh, the contemptible sn.o.bs!

FARNCOMBE.

[_Regaining possession of her hand._] H's.h.!.+ H's.h.!.+ It-- it's the practice----

LILY.

Blow the practice! A cheerful reflection for _me_, it'll be. The arrant sn.o.bs!

FARNCOMBE.

[_Stroking her hand._] Ah! Ah!

LILY.

And then-- poor mother! You-- you won't be very proud of poor mother.

FARNCOMBE.

Your mother? [_Boyishly._] Oh, she-- she's an awfully good sort.

LILY.

She hasn't an H. to her name.

FARNCOMBE.

[_Inadvertently._] She _oughtn't_ to have.

LILY.

[_Withdrawing her hand again, sharply._] She calls herself _H_upjohn, you mean!

FARNCOMBE.

[_Distressed._] No, no, no. [_In a difficulty._] Er-- at any rate, h's don't lead you to heaven, do they?

LILY.

[_Gloomily._] You're right; mother's lead _her_ to _'eaven_. [_Rising and walking away._] Well, you'd better go now.

FARNCOMBE.

[_Rising._] And to-night----?

LILY.

No; I'll come home alone.

FARNCOMBE.

Lily----!

LILY.

[_Imperatively._] Please----!

FARNCOMBE.

When----?

LILY.

[_Moving to the door on the left._] Not for two or three days. Give me time to shake down over this.

FARNCOMBE.

[_Taking up his hat and cane which he has left upon the centre table._] Sunday?

LILY.

[_Fretfully._] No.

FARNCOMBE.

Monday?

LILY.

[_Opening the door._] No.

FARNCOMBE.

[_Joining her at the door._] Tuesday?

LILY.

[_Appealingly._] I-- I'll write. [_Again he takes her hand, she keeping him at a distance. He attempts to lessen the distance, but she checks him, shaking her head._] Not just yet, Eddie. [_He smiles at her tenderly and, with a bow, departs. From the doorway, she watches him disappear; then she shuts the door and wanders listlessly to the door of the bedroom. Her hand lingers upon the k.n.o.b for a moment, and then she opens the door a little way and calls._] Mother! Mother----!

[_She leaves the door and is returning to the settee when MRS. UPJOHN enters._