Dandy Dick Part 19

GEORGIANA.

Awfully jolly. Mutton was overdone.

SALOME.

That's our new cook's one failing.

GEORGIANA.

 

But the potatoes weren't--they rattled.

SHEBA.

Cook never can manage potatoes.

GEORGIANA.

What was wrong with the custards?

SALOME.

Well, it was Cook's first attempt at custards.

GEORGIANA.

However, they served one useful end. Now we _know_ the chimney wants sweeping.

SALOME.

But it was a frightfully jolly dinner--take it all round.

SHEBA.

Yes, take it all round. One has to take things all round.

GEORGIANA.

What made us all so sad and silent--taking us all round?

SHEBA.

Dear Papa was as lively as an owl with neuralgia.

GEORGIANA.

Major Tarver isn't a conversational cracker.

SALOME.

Gerald Tarver has no liver--to speak of.

GEORGIANA.

He might have spoken about his lungs or something, to cheer us up.

SHEBA.

I fancy Mr. Darbey was about to make a witty remark once.

GEORGIANA.

Yes, and then the servant handed him a dish and he s.h.i.+ed at it. So we lost that.

SALOME.

Still, we ought to congratulate ourselves upon--upon a----

SHEBA.

Upon a--upon a----

GEORGIANA.

Upon a frightfully jolly dinner. [_Taking her betting book from her pocket._] Excuse me, girls. I've some figures to work out. If Dandy d.i.c.k hasn't fed better at the "Swan" than we have at the Deanery, he won't be in the first three. [_Reckoning._] Let me see.

SALOME.

[_To SHEBA._] All's settled, Sheba, isn't it?

SHEBA.

[_To SALOME._] Yes--everything. Directly the house is silent we let ourselves out at the front door.

SALOME.

How do we get in again?

SHEBA.

By this window. It has a patent safety fastening, so it can be opened with a hairpin.

SALOME.

We're courageous girls, aren't we?

SHEBA.

Yes, I don't consider we're ordinary young ladies, at all.