VIII + 

Two nights later Adam and Nina took Ginger to the party in the captive dirigible. It was not a really good evening. The long drive in GingerтАЩs car to the degraded suburb where the airship was moored chilled and depressed them, dissipating the gaiety which had flickered rather spasmodically over GingerтАЩs dinner. + 

The airship seemed to fill the whole field, tethered a few feet from the ground by innumerable cables over which they stumbled painfully on the way to the steps. These had been covered by a socially minded caterer with a strip of red carpet. + 

Inside, the saloons were narrow and hot, communicating to each other by spiral staircases and metal alleys. There were protrusions at every corner, and Miss Runcible had made herself a mass of bruises in the first half hour. There was a band and a bar and all the same faces. It was the first time that a party was given in an airship. + 

Adam went aloft to a kind of terrace. Acres of inflated silk blotted out the sky, stirring just perceptibly in the breeze. The lights of other cars arriving lit up the uneven grass. A few louts had collected round the gates to jeer. There were two people making love to each other near him on the terrace, reclining on cushions. There was also a young woman he did not know, holding one of the stays and breathing heavily; evidently she felt unwell. One of the lovers lit a cigar and Adam observed that they were Mary Mouse and the Maharajah of Pukkapore. + 

Presently Nina joined him. тАЬIt seems such a waste,тАЭ she said, thinking of Mary and the Maharajah, тАЬthat two very rich people like that should fall in love with each other.тАЭ + 

тАЬNina,тАЭ said Adam, тАЬletтАЩs get married soon, donтАЩt you think?тАЭ + 

тАЬYes, itтАЩs a bore not being married.тАЭ + 

The young woman who felt ill passed by them, walking shakily, to try and find her coat and her young man to take her home. + 

тАЬтАж┬аI donтАЩt know if it sounds absurd,тАЭ said Adam, тАЬbut I do feel that a marriage ought to go onтБатАФfor quite a long time, I mean. DтАЩyou feel that too, at all?тАЭ + 

тАЬYes, itтАЩs one of the things about a marriage!тАЭ + 

тАЬIтАЩm glad you feel that. I didnтАЩt quite know if you did. Otherwise itтАЩs all rather bogus, isnтАЩt it?тАЭ + 

тАЬI think you ought to go and see papa again,тАЭ said Nina. тАЬItтАЩs never any good writing. Go and tell him that youтАЩve got a job and are terribly rich and that weтАЩre going to be married before Christmas!тАЭ + 

тАЬAll right. IтАЩll do that.тАЭ + 

тАЬтАж┬аDтАЩyou remember last month we arranged for you to go and see him the first time?тБатАКтБатАж just like thisтБатАКтБатАж it was at Archie SchwertтАЩs partyтБатАКтБатАжтАЭ + 

тАЬOh, Nina, what a lot of parties.тАЭ + 

(тАж Masked parties, Savage parties, Victorian parties, Greek parties, Wild West parties, Russian parties, Circus parties, parties where one had to dress as somebody else, almost naked parties in St.┬аJohnтАЩs Wood, parties in flats and studios and houses and ships and hotels and night clubs, in windmills and swimming baths, tea parties at school where one ate muffins and meringues and tinned crab, parties at Oxford where one drank brown sherry and smoked Turkish cigarettes, dull dances in London and comic dances in Scotland and disgusting dances in ParisтБатАФall that succession and repetition of massed humanity.тБатАКтБатАж Those vile bodiesтБатАКтБатАж) + 

He leant his forehead, to cool it, on NinaтАЩs arm and kissed her in the hollow of her forearm. + 

тАЬI know, darling,тАЭ she said, and put her hand on his hair. + 

Ginger came strutting jauntily by, his hands clasped under his coattails. + 

тАЬHullo, you two,тАЭ he said. тАЬPretty good show this, what.тАЭ + 

тАЬAre you enjoying yourself, Ginger?тАЭ + 

тАЬRather. I say, IтАЩve met an awful good chap called Miles. Regular topper. You know, pally. ThatтАЩs what I like about a really decent partyтБатАФyou meet such topping fellows. I mean some chaps it takes absolutely years to know but a chap like Miles I feel is a pal straight away.тАЭ + 

Presently cars began to drive away again. Miss Runcible said that she had heard of a divine night club near Leicester Square somewhere where you could get a drink at any hour of the night. It was called the St.┬аChristopherтАЩs Social Club. + 

So they all went there in GingerтАЩs car. + 

On the way Ginger said, тАЬThat cove Miles, you know, heтАЩs awfully queerтБатАКтБатАжтАЭ + 

St.┬аChristopherтАЩs Social Club took some time to find. + 

It was a little door at the side of a shop, and the man who opened it held his foot against it and peeped round. + 

They paid ten shillings each and signed false names in the visitorтАЩs book. Then they went downstairs to a very hot room full of cigarette smoke; there were unsteady tables with bamboo legs round the walls and there were some people in shirt sleeves dancing on a shiny linoleum floor. + 

There was a woman in a yellow beaded frock playing a piano and another in red playing the fiddle. + 

They ordered some whisky. The waiter said he was sorry, but he couldnтАЩt oblige, not that night he couldnтАЩt. The police had just rung up to say that they were going to make a raid any minute. If they liked they could have some nice kippers. + 

Miss Runcible said that kippers were not very drunk-making and that the whole club seemed bogus to her. + 

Ginger said well anyway they had better have some kippers now they were there. Then he asked Nina to dance and she said no. Then he asked Miss Runcible and she said no, too. + 

Then they ate kippers. + 

Presently one of the men in shirt sleeves (who had clearly had a lot to drink before the St.┬аChristopher Social Club knew about the police) came up to their table and said to Adam: + 

тАЬYou donтАЩt know me. IтАЩm Gilmour. I donтАЩt want to start a row in front of ladies, but when I see a howling cad I like to tell him so.тАЭ + 

Adam said, тАЬWhy do you spit when you talk?тАЭ + 

Gilmour said, тАЬThat is a very unfortunate physical disability, and it shows what a howling cad you are that you mention it.тАЭ + 

Then Ginger said, тАЬSame to you, old boy, with nobs on.тАЭ + 

Then Gilmour said, тАЬHullo, Ginger, old scout.тАЭ + 

And Ginger said, тАЬWhy, itтАЩs Bill. You mustnтАЩt mind Bill. Awfully stout chap. Met him on the boat.тАЭ + 

Gilmour said, тАЬAny pal of GingerтАЩs is a pal of mine.тАЭ + 

So Adam and Gilmour shook hands. + 

Gilmour said, тАЬThis is a pretty low joint, anyhow. You chaps come round to my place and have a drink.тАЭ + 

So they went to GilmourтАЩs place. + 

GilmourтАЩs place was a bed-sitting room in Ryder Street. + 

So they sat on the bed in GilmourтАЩs place and drank whisky while Gilmour was sick next door. + 

And Ginger said, тАЬThereтАЩs nowhere like London really you know.тАЭ + 

That same evening while Adam and Nina sat on the deck of the dirigible a party of quite a different sort was being given at Anchorage House. This last survivor of the noble town houses of London was, in its time, of dominating and august dimensions, and even now, when it had become a mere тАЬpicturesque bitтАЭ lurking in a ravine between concrete skyscrapers, its pillared fa├зade, standing back from the street and obscured by railings and some wisps of foliage, had grace and dignity and otherworldliness enough to cause a flutter or two in Mrs.┬аHoopтАЩs heart as she drove into the forecourt. + 

тАЬCanтАЩt you just see the ghosts?тАЭ she said to Lady Circumference on the stairs. тАЬPit and Fox and Burke and Lady Hamilton and Beau Brummel and Dr.┬аJohnsonтАЭ (a concurrence of celebrities, it may be remarked, at which something memorable might surely have occurred). тАЬCanтАЩt you just see themтБатАФin their buckled shoes?тАЭ + 

Lady Circumference raised her lorgnette and surveyed the stream of guests debouching from the cloakrooms like City workers from the Underground. She saw Mr.┬аOutrage and Lord Metroland in consultation about the Censorship Bill (a statesmanlike and much-needed measure which empowered a committee of five atheists to destroy all books, pictures and films they considered undesirable, without any nonsense about defence or appeal). She saw both Archbishops, the Duke and Duchess of Stayle, Lord Vanburgh and Lady Metroland, Lady Throbbing and Edward Throbbing and Mrs.┬аBlackwater, Mrs.┬аMouse and Lord Monomark and a superb Levantine, and behind and about them a great concourse of pious and honourable people (many of whom made the Anchorage House reception the one outing of the year), their womenfolk well gowned in rich and durable stuffs, their menfolk ablaze with orders; people who had represented their country in foreign places and sent their sons to die for her in battle, people of decent and temperate life, uncultured, unaffected, unembarrassed, unassuming, unambitious people, of independent judgment and marked eccentricities, kind people who cared for animals and the deserving poor, brave and rather unreasonable people, that fine phalanx of the passing order, approaching as one day at the Last Trump they hoped to meet their Maker, with decorous and frank cordiality to shake Lady Anchorage by the hand at the top of her staircase. Lady Circumference saw all this and sniffed the exhalation of her own herd. But she saw no ghosts. + 

тАЬThatтАЩs all my eye,тАЭ she said. + 

But Mrs.┬аHoop ascended step by step in a confused but very glorious dream of eighteenth-century elegance. + 

The Presence of Royalty was heavy as thunder in the drawing-room. + 

The Baroness Yoshiwara and the Prime Minister met once more. + 

тАЬI tried to see you twice this week,тАЭ she said, тАЬbut always you were busy. We are leaving London. Perhaps you heard? My husband has been moved to Washington. It was his wish to goтБатАКтБатАжтАЭ + 

тАЬNo. I say, BaronessтБатАКтБатАж I had no idea. ThatтАЩs very bad news. We shall all miss you terribly.тАЭ + 

тАЬI thought perhaps I would come to make my adieux. One day next week.тАЭ + 

тАЬWhy, yes, of course, that would be delightful. You must both come to dine. IтАЩll get my secretary to fix something up tomorrow.тАЭ + 

тАЬIt has been nice being in LondonтБатАКтБатАж you were kind.тАЭ + 

тАЬNot a bit. I donтАЩt know what London would be without our guests from abroad.тАЭ + 

тАЬOh, twenty damns to your great pig-face,тАЭ said the Baroness suddenly and turned away. + 

Mr.┬аOutrage watched her bewildered. Finally he said, тАЬFor East is East and West is West and never the twain shall meetтАЭ (which was a poor conclusion for a former Foreign Secretary). + 

Edward Throbbing stood talking to the eldest daughter of the Duchess of Stayle. She was some inches taller than him and inclined slightly so that, in the general murmur of conversation, she should not miss any of his colonial experience. She wore a frock such as only Duchesses can obtain for their elder daughters, a garment curiously puckered and puffed up and enriched with old lace at improbable places, from which her pale beauty emerged as though from a clumsily tied parcel. Neither powder, rouge nor lipstick had played any part in her toilet and her colourless hair was worn long and bound across her forehead in a broad fillet. Long pearl drops hung from her ears and she wore a tight little collar of pearls round her throat. It was generally understood that now Edward Throbbing was back these two would become engaged to be married. + 

Lady Ursula was acquiescent if unenthusiastic. When she thought about marriage at all, which was rarely (for her chief interests were a girlsтАЩ club in Canning Town and a younger brother at school), she thought what a pity it was that one had to be so ill to have children. Her married friends spoke of this almost with relish and her mother with awe. + 

An innate dilatoriness of character rather than any doubt of the ultimate issue kept Edward from verbal proposal. He had decided to arrange everything before Christmas and that was enough. He had no doubt that a suitable occasion would soon be devised for him. It was clearly suitable that he should marry before he was thirty. Now and then when he was with Ursula he felt a slight quickening of possessive impulse towards her fragility and distance; occasionally when he read some rather lubricious novel or saw much lovemaking on the stage he would translate the characters in his mind and put Lady Ursula, often incongruously, in the place of the heroine. He had no doubt that he was in love. Perhaps he would propose this very evening and get it over. It was up to Lady Ursula to engineer an occasion. Meanwhile he kept the conversation on to the subject of labour problems in Montreal, about which his information was extensive and accurate. + 

тАЬHeтАЩs a nice, steady boy,тАЭ said the Duchess, тАЬand itтАЩs a comfort, nowadays, to see two young people so genuinely fond of each other. Of course, nothing is actually arranged yet, but I was talking to Fanny Throbbing yesterday, and apparently Edward has already spoken to her on the subject. I think that everything will be settled before Christmas. Of course, thereтАЩs not a great deal of money, but oneтАЩs learnt not to expect that nowadays, and Mr.┬аOutrage speaks very highly of his ability. Quite one of the coming men in the party.тАЭ + 

тАЬWell,тАЭ said Lady Circumference, тАЬyou know your own business, but if you ask me I shouldnтАЩt care to see a daughter of mine marry into that family. Bad hats every one of them. Look at the father and the sister, and from all I hear the brother is rotten all through.тАЭ + 

тАЬI donтАЩt say itтАЩs a match I should have chosen myself. ThereтАЩs certainly a bad strain in the MalpracticesтБатАКтБатАж but you know how headstrong children are nowadays, and they seem so fond of each otherтБатАКтБатАж and there seem so few young men about. At least I never seem to see any.тАЭ + 

тАЬYoung toads, the whole lot of them,тАЭ said Lady Circumference. + 

тАЬAnd these terrible parties which IтАЩm told they give. I donтАЩt know what I should have done if Ursula had ever wanted to go to themтБатАКтБатАж the poor Chasms.тБатАКтБатАжтАЭ + 

тАЬIf I were Viola Chasm IтАЩd give that girl a thunderinтАЩ good hidinтАЩ.тАЭ + 

The topic of the Younger Generation spread through the company like a yawn. Royalty remarked on their absence and those happy mothers who had even one docile daughter in tow swelled with pride and commiseration. + 

тАЬIтАЩm told that theyтАЩre having another of their parties,тАЭ said Mrs.┬аMouse, тАЬin an aeroplane this time.тАЭ + 

тАЬIn an aeroplane? How very extraordinary.тАЭ + 

тАЬOf course, I never hear a word from Mary, but her maid told my maidтБатАКтБатАжтАЭ + 

тАЬWhat I always wonder, Kitty dear, is what they actually do at these parties of theirs, I mean, do theyтБатАКтБатАжтАК?тАЭ + 

тАЬMy dear, from all I hear, I think they do.тАЭ + 

тАЬOh, to be young again, Kitty. When I think, my dear, of all the trouble and exertion which we had to go through to be even moderately badтБатАКтБатАж those passages in the early morning, and mama sleeping next door.тАЭ + 

тАЬAnd yet, my dear, I doubt very much whether they really appreciate it all as much as we shouldтБатАКтБатАж young people take things so much for granted. Si la jeunesse savait.тАЭ + 

тАЬSi la vieillesse pouvait, Kitty.тАЭ + 

Later that evening Mr.┬аOutrage stood almost alone in the supper-room drinking a glass of champagne. Another episode in his life was closed, another of those tantalizing glimpses of felicity capriciously withdrawn. Poor Mr.┬аOutrage, thought Mr.┬аOutrage; poor, poor old Outrage, always just on the verge of revelation, of some sublime and transfiguring experience; always frustrated.тБатАКтБатАж Just Prime Minister, nothing more, bullied by his colleagues, a source of income to low caricaturists. Was Mr.┬аOutrage an immortal soul, thought Mr.┬аOutrage; had he wings, was he free and unconfined, was he born for eternity? He sipped his champagne, fingered his ribbon of the Order of Merit, and resigned himself to the dust. + 

Presently he was joined by Lord Metroland and Father Rothschild. + 

тАЬMargotтАЩs leftтБатАФgone on to some party in an airship. IтАЩve been talking to Lady Anchorage for nearly an hour about the younger generation.тАЭ + 

тАЬEveryone seems to have been talking about the younger generation tonight. The most boring subject I know.тАЭ + 

тАЬWell, after all, what does all this stand for if thereтАЩs going to be no one to carry it on?тАЭ + 

тАЬAll what?тАЭ Mr.┬аOutrage looked round the supper-room, deserted save for two footmen who leant against the walls looking as waxen as the clumps of flowers sent up that morning from hothouses in the country. тАЬWhat does all what stand for?тАЭ + 

тАЬAll this business of government.тАЭ + 

тАЬAs far as IтАЩm concerned it stands for a damned lot of hard work and precious little in return. If those young people can find a way to get on without it, good luck to them.тАЭ + 

тАЬI see what Metroland means,тАЭ said Father Rothschild. + 

тАЬBlessed if I do. Anyway IтАЩve got no children myself, and IтАЩm thankful for it. I donтАЩt understand them, and I donтАЩt want to. They had a chance after the war that no generation has ever had. There was a whole civilization to be saved and remadeтБатАФand all they seem to do is to play the fool. Mind you, IтАЩm all in favour of them having a fling. I dare say that Victorian ideas were a bit straitlaced. Saving your cloth, Rothschild, itтАЩs only human nature to run a bit loose when oneтАЩs young. But thereтАЩs something wanton about these young people today. That stepson of yours, Metroland, and that girl of poor old ChasmтАЩs and young ThrobbingтАЩs brother.тАЭ + 

тАЬDonтАЩt you think,тАЭ said Father Rothschild gently, тАЬthat perhaps it is all in some way historical? I donтАЩt think people ever want to lose their faith either in religion or anything else. I know very few young people, but it seems to me that they are all possessed with an almost fatal hunger for permanence. I think all these divorces show that. People arenтАЩt content just to muddle along nowadays.тБатАКтБатАж And this word тАШbogusтАЩ they all use.тБатАКтБатАж They wonтАЩt make the best of a bad job nowadays. My private schoolmaster used to say, тАШIf a thingтАЩs worth doing at all, itтАЩs worth doing well.тАЩ My Church has taught that in different words for several centuries. But these young people have got hold of another end of the stick, and for all we know it may be the right one. They say, тАШIf a thingтАЩs not worth doing well, itтАЩs not worth doing at all.тАЩ It makes everything very difficult for them.тАЭ + 

тАЬGood heavens, I should think it did. What a darned silly principle. I mean to say if one didnтАЩt do anything that wasnтАЩt worth doing wellтБатАФwhy, what would one do? IтАЩve always maintained that success in this world depends on knowing exactly how little effort each job is worthтБатАКтБатАж distribution of energy.тБатАКтБатАж And, I suppose, most people would admit that I was a pretty successful man.тАЭ + 

тАЬYes, I suppose they would, Outrage,тАЭ said Father Rothschild, looking at him rather quizzically. + 

But that self-accusing voice in the Prime MinisterтАЩs heart was silent. There was nothing like a little argument for settling the mind. Everything became so simple as soon as it was put into words. + 

тАЬAnd anyway, what do you mean by тАШhistoricalтАЩ?тАЭ + 

тАЬWell, itтАЩs like this war thatтАЩs coming.тБатАКтБатАжтАЭ + 

тАЬWhat war?тАЭ said the Prime Minister sharply. тАЬNo one has said anything to me about a war. I really think I should have been told. IтАЩll be damned,тАЭ he said defiantly, тАЬif they shall have a war without consulting me. WhatтАЩs a Cabinet for if thereтАЩs not more mutual confidence than that? What do they want a war for, anyway?тАЭ + 

тАЬThatтАЩs the whole point. No one talks about it, and no one wants it. No one talks about it because no one wants it. TheyтАЩre all afraid to breathe a word about it.тАЭ + 

тАЬWell, hang it all, if no one wants it, whoтАЩs going to make them have it?тАЭ + 

тАЬWars donтАЩt start nowadays because people want them. We long for peace, and fill our newspapers with conferences about disarmament and arbitration, but there is a radical instability in our whole world-order, and soon we shall all be walking into the jaws of destruction again, protesting our pacific intentions.тАЭ + 

тАЬWell, you seem to know all about it,тАЭ said Mr.┬аOutrage, тАЬand I think I should have been told sooner. This will have to mean a coalition with that old windbag Brown, I suppose.тАЭ + 

тАЬAnyhow,тАЭ said Lord Metroland, тАЬI donтАЩt see how all that explains why my stepson should drink like a fish and go about everywhere with a negress.тАЭ + 

тАЬI think theyтАЩre connected, you know,тАЭ said Father Rothschild. тАЬBut itтАЩs all very difficult.тАЭ + 

Then they separated. + 

Father Rothschild pulled on a pair of overall trousers in the forecourt and, mounting his motor cycle, disappeared into the night, for he had many people to see and much business to transact before he went to bed. + 

Lord Metroland left the house in some depression. Margot had taken the car, but it was scarcely five minutesтАЩ walk to Hill Street. He took a vast cigar from his case, lit it and sank his chin in the astrakhan collar of his coat, conforming almost exactly to the popular conception of a highly enviable man. But his heart was heavy. What a lot of nonsense Rothschild had talked. At least he hoped it was nonsense. + 

By ill-fortune he arrived on the doorstep to find Peter Pastmaster fumbling with the lock, and they entered together. Lord Metroland noticed a tall hat on the table by the door. тАЬYoung TrumpingtonтАЩs, I suppose,тАЭ he thought. His stepson did not once look at him, but made straight for the stairs, walking unsteadily, his hat on the back of his head, his umbrella still in his hand. + 

тАЬGood night, Peter,тАЭ said Lord Metroland. + 

тАЬOh, go to hell,тАЭ said his stepson thickly, then, turning on the stairs, he added, тАЬIтАЩm going abroad tomorrow for a few weeks. Will you tell my mother?тАЭ + 

тАЬHave a good time,тАЭ said Lord Metroland. тАЬYouтАЩll find it just as cold everywhere, IтАЩm afraid. Would you care to take the yacht? No oneтАЩs using it.тАЭ + 

тАЬOh, go to hell.тАЭ + 

Lord Metroland went into the study to finish his cigar. It would be awkward if he met young Trumpington on the stairs. He sat down in a very comfortable chair.тБатАКтБатАж A radical instability, Rothschild had said, radical instability.тБатАКтБатАж He looked round his study and saw shelves of booksтБатАФthe Dictionary of National Biography, the Encyclopaedia Britannica in an early and very bulky edition, WhoтАЩs Who, Debrett, Burke, Whitaker, several volumes of Hansard, some Blue Books and AtlasesтБатАФa safe in the corner painted green with a brass handle, his writing table, his secretaryтАЩs table, some very comfortable chairs and some very businesslike chairs, a tray with decanters and a plate of sandwiches, his evening mail laid out on the tableтБатАКтБатАж radical instability, indeed. How like poor old Outrage to let himself get taken in by that charlatan of a Jesuit. + 

He heard the front door open and shut behind Alastair Trumpington. + 

Then he rose and went quickly upstairs, leaving his cigar smouldering in the ashtray, filling the study with fragrant smoke. + 

Quarter of a mile away the Duchess of Stayle went, as she always did, to say good night to her eldest daughter. She crossed the room and drew up the window a few inches, for it was a cold and raw night. Then she went over to the bed and smoothed the pillow. + 

тАЬGood night, dear child,тАЭ she said, тАЬI thought you looked sweet tonight.тАЭ + 

Lady Ursula wore a white cambric nightgown with a little yoke collar and long sleeves. Her hair hung in two plaits. + 

тАЬMama,тАЭ she said. тАЬEdward proposed to me tonight.тАЭ + 

тАЬDarling. What a funny girl you are. Why didnтАЩt you tell me before? You werenтАЩt frightened, were you? You know that your father and I are delighted at anything that makes our little girl happy.тАЭ + 

тАЬWell, I said I wouldnтАЩt marry himтБатАКтБатАж IтАЩm sorry.тАЭ + 

тАЬBut, my dear, itтАЩs nothing to be sorry about. Leave it to your old mother. IтАЩll put it all right for you in the morning.тАЭ + 

тАЬBut, Mama, I donтАЩt want to marry him. I didnтАЩt know until it actually came to the point. IтАЩd always meant to marry him, as you know. But somehow, when he actually asked meтБатАКтБатАж I just couldnтАЩt.тАЭ + 

тАЬThere, dear child, you mustnтАЩt worry any more. You know perfectly well, donтАЩt you, that your father and I would not let you do anything you didnтАЩt want. ItтАЩs a matter that only you can decide. After all, itтАЩs your life and your happiness at stake, not ours, isnтАЩt it, UrsulaтБатАКтБатАж but I think youтАЩd better marry Edward.тАЭ + 

тАЬBut, Mama, I donтАЩt want toтБатАКтБатАж I couldnтАЩtтБатАКтБатАж it would kill me!тАЭ + 

тАЬNow, now, my pet mustnтАЩt worry her head about it any more. You know your father and I only want your happiness, dear one. No one is going to make my darling girl do anything she doesnтАЩt want to.тБатАКтБатАж Papa shall see Edward in the morning and make everything all rightтБатАКтБатАж dear Lady Anchorage was only saying tonight what a lovely bride you will make.тАЭ + 

тАЬBut, MamaтБатАКтБатАжтАЭ + 

тАЬNot another word, dear child. ItтАЩs very late and youтАЩve got to look your best for Edward tomorrow, havenтАЩt you, love?тАЭ + 

The Duchess closed the door softly and went to her own room. Her husband was in his dressing-room. + 

тАЬAndrew.тАЭ + 

тАЬWhat is it, dear? IтАЩm saying my prayers.тАЭ + 

тАЬEdward proposed to Ursula tonight.тАЭ + 

тАЬAh!тАЭ + 

тАЬArenтАЩt you glad?тАЭ + 

тАЬI told you, dear, IтАЩm trying to say my prayers.тАЭ + 

тАЬItтАЩs a real joy to see the dear children so happy.тАЭ + 