KIT. My word, yes. They say that’s why old Alliot never married. SYDNEY. [_High and mightily_] Oh, village gossip. KIT. [_Apologetically_] Well, you know what the mater is. SYDNEY. [_Abandoning her dignity_] Who was it, Kit? KIT. Old Miss Robson. SYDNEY. Rot! KIT. Fact. SYDNEY. But she’s all right. KIT. Had a game sister. SYDNEY. Of course! I just remember her. She used to scare me. KIT. Oh, it must be true. They’re such tremendous pals still. SYDNEY. Poor old things! KIT. Rotten for her. SYDNEY. Rottener for him! What did she go on being pals with him for? KIT. Why shouldn’t she? SYDNEY. Well it stopped him marrying anyone else. She oughtn’t to have let him. KIT. You can’t stop a person being fond of you. SYDNEY. When it’s a man you can. KIT. My dear girl, you don’t know what you’re talking about. SYDNEY. My dear boy, if a girl finds out that it’s not right for her to marry a man, it’s up to her to choke him off. KIT. Rot! SYDNEY. Well, I think so. KIT. Couldn’t be done. SYDNEY. Couldn’t it just? KIT. Any man would see through it. SYDNEY. As if any man ever saw through anything! As if I couldn’t choke you off in five minutes if I wanted to! KIT. I’d like to see you try! SYDNEY. Would you? KIT. My dear girl, we’re not all fools where women are concerned. SYDNEY. I admire your air of conviction. KIT. Don’t be clever-clever, old thing. Be-- [_His arm slips round her._] SYDNEY. [_Edging away_] Don’t. KIT. [_He glances round hastily at_ MARGARET, _but she is deep in writing_.] Why not? SYDNEY. [_Deliberately_] I hate being pawed. [_A pause._] KIT. Look here, Sydney, d’you call this a way of spending Christmas afternoon? SYDNEY. [_Her lip quivering_] It isn’t much of a way, is it? KIT. Well then, old thing! [_Again the arm._] SYDNEY. [_Icily_] I told you to leave me alone. KIT. [_Rising, huffed_] Oh, well, if you can’t be decent, I’m going. SYDNEY. [_Sweetly_] Counter attraction? KIT. [_Wheeling round on her_] Now, my dear old thing, look here. I know it’s only a sort of way you’ve got into; but when you say--“men!”--with a sort of sneer, and “other attractions”--like that, in that voice, it just sounds cheap. I hate it. It’s not like you. I wish you wouldn’t. SYDNEY. Dear me! KIT. Now I suppose you’re annoyed. SYDNEY. Oh, no, I’m only amused. KIT. [_Heavily_] There’s nothing amusing about me, Sydney. I’m in earnest. SYDNEY. I’m sure you are. You got out of answering an innocent little question quite neatly. It looks like practice. KIT. [_Harried_] Now, look here, Sydney, I swear to you-- SYDNEY. [_Like the ghost in Hamlet_] Swear! KIT. If you’re thinking of Alice Hewitt I’ve only met her four times. SYDNEY. Oh, so her name’s Alice! KIT. Didn’t you know? SYDNEY. Never heard of her till this minute. KIT. Then what on earth have you been driving at. SYDNEY. Trying an experiment. KIT. If it’s because you’re jealous-- SYDNEY. Jealous! Jealous of a--What colour are her eyes?