LEONARD. I say, don’t go, old chap. You can change in five minutes. NICHOLAS. Righto. (_He comes back. There is silence for a little._) LEONARD. I say! NICHOLAS. Yes? LEONARD (_thinking better of it_). Oh, nothing. NICHOLAS (_after a pause_). Curious creatures, women. LEONARD. Amazing. NICHOLAS. They’re so unexpected. LEONARD. So unreasonable. NICHOLAS. Yes.... LEONARD (_suddenly_). I hate England at this time of year. NICHOLAS. So do I. LEONARD. Do you go South as a rule? NICHOLAS. As a rule. LEONARD. Monte? NICHOLAS. Sometimes. We _had_ thought—I half thought of Nice. LEONARD. Not bad. We were—I think I prefer Cannes myself. NICHOLAS. There’s not much in it. LEONARD. No.... (_After a pause_) Between ourselves, you know—quite between ourselves—I’m about fed up with women. NICHOLAS. Absolutely. LEONARD. You are too? NICHOLAS. Rather. I should think so. LEONARD. They’re so dashed unreasonable. NICHOLAS. So unexpected.... LEONARD (_suddenly_). Had you booked your rooms? NICHOLAS. At Nice? Yes. LEONARD. So had I. NICHOLAS. At Cannes? LEONARD. Yes.... I say, what about it? NICHOLAS. Do you mean—— (_He waves a hand at the door._) LEONARD. Yes. NICHOLAS. Evaporating? LEONARD. Yes. Quite quietly, you know. NICHOLAS. Without ostentation. LEONARD. That’s it. NICHOLAS. It’s rather a scheme. And then we shouldn’t waste the rooms. At least, only one set of them. I’ll tell you what. I’ll toss you whether we go to Nice or Cannes. LEONARD. Right. (_He takes out a coin and tosses._) NICHOLAS. Tails. LEONARD (_uncovering the coin_). Heads. Do you mind coming to Cannes? NICHOLAS. Just as soon, really. When shall we go? To-morrow? LEONARD. Mightn’t get a chance to-morrow. Why not to-night? It seems a pity to waste the opportunity. NICHOLAS. You mean while Eustasia’s dressing? LEONARD. The—er—opportunity. Sleep the night at Dover and cross to-morrow morning. NICHOLAS. She’ll be after us. LEONARD. Nonsense. NICHOLAS. My dear man, you don’t know Eustasia. LEONARD. I don’t know Eustasia? Well! NICHOLAS (_with conviction_). She’ll be after you like a bird. You’ve never seen Eustasia when she has got somebody ill to look after. LEONARD. I’ve never seen Eustasia? Well! NICHOLAS. My dear chap, you’ve only had three days of her; I’ve had six.... Lord!... Look here. We shall have to—— _Enter LATIMER._ LATIMER. What, Leonard, all alone? NICHOLAS. I say, you’re the very man we want. LEONARD (_frowning_——). S’sh. LATIMER. Leonard, don’t “s’sh” Nicholas when he wants to speak to me. NICHOLAS (_to LEONARD_). It’s all right, old chap, Latimer is a sportsman. LATIMER (_to LEONARD_). There! You see the sort of reputation I have in the West End. (_To NICHOLAS_) What is it you want to do? Run away? LEONARD. Well—er—— NICHOLAS. I say, however did you guess? LATIMER. Leonard’s car has had steam up for the last twenty-four hours, waiting for a word from its owner. LEONARD (_seeing the south of France_). By Jove!