Dandy Dick Part 21

I'm rather anxious for the post to bring to-day's "Times." You know I've offered a thousand pounds to our Restoration Fund.

GEORGIANA.

What!

THE DEAN.

Hush--I'll tell you.

[_They talk in undertones. BLORE enters to remove the tea-tray._

TARVER.

[_Jumping up excitedly--to SALOME._] Eh? Oh, certainly--delighted!

[_Singing to himself._] "Come into the garden, Maud, for the black bat----"

SALOME.

Now you're yourself again.

TARVER.

I'm always dreadfully excited when I'm asked to sing. It's as good as a carbonate of soda lozenge to me to be asked to sing. [_To BLORE._]

My music is in my overcoat pocket.

[_BLORE crosses to the door._

SHEBA.

And Mr. Darbey has brought his violin.

TARVER.

[_In a rage, glaring at DARBEY._] Hah! There now!

DARBEY.

[_To BLORE._] You'll find it in the hall.

[_BLORE goes out. THE DEAN dozes in a chair. SALOME and SHEBA talk to GEORGIANA at the table._

TARVER.

[_To himself._] He always presumes with his confounded fiddle when I'm going to entertain. He knows that his fiddle's never hoa.r.s.e and that I am, sometimes.

DARBEY.

[_To himself._] Tarver always tries to cut me out with his elderly Chest C. He ought to put it on the Retired List.

TARVER.

I'll sing him off his legs to-night--I'm in lovely voice.

[_He walks into the Library and is heard trying his voice, singing "Come into the garden, Maud."_

DARBEY.

[_To himself._] He needn't bother himself. While he was dozing in the carriage I threw his music out of the window.

_TARVER re-enters triumphantly._

_BLORE re-enters, carrying a violin-case and a leather music roll.

DARBEY takes the violin-case, opens it, and produces his violin and music. BLORE hands the music roll to TARVER and goes out._

TARVER.

[_To SALOME, trembling with excitement._] My tones are like a beautiful bell this evening. I'm so glad, for all our sakes. [_As he takes the leather music roll from BLORE._] Thank you, that's it.

SALOME.

What will you begin with?

TARVER.

"Come into the garden, Maud." I've begun with "Corne into the garden, Maud" for years and years. [_He opens the music roll--it is empty._]

Oh! Miss Jedd, I've forgotten my music!

SALOME _and_ SHEBA.

Oh! Major Tarver!

[_TARVER with a groan of despair sinks on to the settee._

SHEBA.

Never mind--Mr. Darbey will play.

DARBEY.

[_Tuning his violin._] Will you accompany me?

SHEBA.

[_Raising her eyes._] To the end of the world.

[_She sits at the piano._

DARBEY.