MR. GEORGE BOOTH. I'll play you fifty up, not more. I'm getting old. MR. VOYSEY. [_stopping at a dessert dish._] Yes, these are good apples of Bearman's. I think six of my trees are spoilt this year. HONOR. Here you are, Booth. _She triumphantly discovers the discarded box, at which the Major becomes pathetic with indignation._ MAJOR BOOTH VOYSEY. Oh, Honor, don't be such a fool. These are what we've been smoking. I want the Ramon Allones. HONOR. I don't know the difference. MAJOR BOOTH VOYSEY. No, you don't, but you might learn. MR. VOYSEY. [_in a voice like the crack of a very fine whip._] Booth. MAJOR BOOTH VOYSEY. [_subduedly._] What is it, sir? MR. VOYSEY. Look for your cigars yourself. Honor, go back to your reading and your sewing or whatever you were fiddling at, and fiddle in peace. MR. VOYSEY _departs, leaving the room rather hushed_. MR. BOOTH _has not waited for this parental display. Then_ ALICE _insinuates a remark very softly_. ALICE. Have you looked in the Library? MAJOR BOOTH VOYSEY. [_relapsing to an injured mutter._] Where's Emily? HONOR. Upstairs with little Henry, he woke up and cried. MAJOR BOOTH VOYSEY. Letting her wear herself to rags over the child . . ! HONOR. Well, she won't let me go. MAJOR BOOTH VOYSEY. Why don't you stop looking for those cigars? HONOR. If you don't mind, I want a reel of blue silk now I'm here. MAJOR BOOTH VOYSEY. I daresay they are in the Library. What a house! _He departs._ HONOR. Booth is so trying. ALICE. Honor, why do you put up with it? HONOR. Someone has to. ALICE. [_discreetly nibbling a nut, which_ EDWARD _has cracked for her_.] I'm afraid I think Master Major Booth ought to have been taken in hand early . . with a cane. HONOR. [_as she vaguely burrows into corners._] Papa did. But it's never prevented him booming at us . . oh, ever since he was a baby. Now he's flustered me so I simply can't think where this blue silk is. ALICE. All the Pettifers desired to be remembered to you, Edward. HONOR. I must do without it. [_but she goes on looking._] I think, Alice, that we're a very difficult family . . except perhaps Edward. EDWARD. Why except me? HONOR. [_Who has only excepted out of politeness to present company._] Well, you may be difficult . . to yourself. [_Then she starts to go, threading her way through the disarranged chairs._] Mr. Colpus will shout so loud at Mother and she hates people to think she's so very deaf. I thought Mary Pettifer looking old . . [_and she talks herself out of the room._] ALICE. [_after her._] She's getting old. _Now_ ALICE _does sit down; as if she'd be glad of her tête-a-tête_. ALICE. I was glad not to spend August abroad for once. We drove into Cheltenham to a dance . . carpet. I golfed a lot. EDWARD. How long were you with them? ALICE. Not a fortnight. It doesn't seem three months since I was here, does it? EDWARD. I'm down so very little. ALICE. I'm here a disgraceful deal. EDWARD. You know they're always pleased.