TREMAYNE (getting up). But what does it matter? What would it matter if
I knew nothing about you? I know everything about you--everything that
matters.
BELINDA (closing her eyes contentedly). Tell me some of them.
TREMAYNE (bending over her earnestly). Belinda--
BELINDA (still with her eyes shut). He's going to propose to me. I can
feel it coming.
TREMAYNE. Confound it! how many men _have_ proposed to you?
BELINDA (surprised). Since when?
TREMAYNE. Since your first husband proposed to you.
BELINDA. Oh, I thought you meant this year. (Sitting up.) Well now,
let me see. (Slowly and thoughtfully.) One. (She pushes up her first
finger.) Two. (She pushes up the second.) Three. (She pushes up the
third finger, holds it there for a moment and then pushes it gently down
again.) No, I don't think that one ought to count really. (She pushes
up two more fingers and the thumb.) Three, four, five--do you want the
names or just the total?
TREMAYNE. This is horrible.
BELINDA (innocently). But anybody can propose. Now if you'd asked how
many I'd accepted--Let me see, where was I up to? I shan't count yours,
because I haven't really had it yet. Six, seven--Yes, Betty, what is it?
[BETTY has just come in from the door on the left.]
BETTY. If you please, ma'am, cook would like to speak to you for a
minute.
BELINDA (getting up). Yes, I'll come. (To TREMAYNE.) You'll forgive me,
won't you? You'll find some cigarettes there. (She starts to go,
but comes back and adds confidentially) It's probably about the lamb
cutlets; I expect your little one refuses to be cooked.
[She goes out after BETTY.]
(Left alone, TREMAYNE stalks moodily about the room, occasionally
kicking things which come in his way. He takes up his hat suddenly and
goes towards the door; stops irresolutely and comes back. He is standing
in the middle of the room with his hands in his pockets when DEVENISH
comes in from the door on the left.)
DEVENISH (surprised). Hullo!
TREMAYNE Hullo!... Are you Mr. Devenish?
DEVENISH. Yes.
TREMAYNE. Devenish the poet?
DEVENISH (coming up and shaking him warmly by the hand). My dear fellow,
you know my work?
TREMAYNE (grimly). My dear Mr. Devenish, your name is most familiar to
me.
DEVENISH. I congratulate you. I thought your great-grandchildren would
be the first to hear of me.
TREMAYNE. My name's Robinson, by the way.
DEVENISH. Then let me return the compliment, Robinson. Your name is
familiar to _me_.
TREMAYNE (hastily). I don't think I'm related to any Robinsons you know.
DEVENISH. Well, no, I suppose not. When I was very much younger I began
a collection of Robinsons. Actually it was only three days ago, but it
seems much longer. Many things have happened since then.
TREMAYNE (uninterested). Really!
DEVENISH. There is a man called Baxter who is still collecting,
I believe. For myself, I am only interested in one of the great
family--Delia.
TREMAYNE (eagerly). You are interested in _her_?
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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