Excuse me, sir: the bell. [He goes out].
GILBEY. [overwhelmed] Maria: did you understand him to say his
brother was a duke?
MRS GILBEY. Fancy his condescending! Perhaps if youd offer to raise
his wages and treat him as one of the family, he'd stay.
GILBEY. And have my own servant above me! Not me. Whats the world
coming to? Heres Bobby and--
JUGGINS. [entering and announcing] Mr and Mrs Knox.
_The Knoxes come in. Juggins takes two chairs from the wall and
places them at the table, between the host and hostess. Then he
withdraws._
MRS GILBEY. [to Mrs Knox] How are you, dear?
MRS KNOX. Nicely, thank you. Good evening, Mr Gilbey. [They shake
hands; and she takes the chair nearest Mrs Gilbey. Mr Knox takes the
other chair].
GILBEY. [sitting down] I was just saying, Knox, What is the world
coming to?
KNOX. [appealing to his wife] What was I saying myself only this
morning?
MRS KNOX. This is a strange time. I was never one to talk about the
end of the world; but look at the things that have happened!
KNOX. Earthquakes!
GILBEY. San Francisco!
MRS GILBEY. Jamaica!
KNOX. Martinique!
GILBEY. Messina!
MRS GILBEY. The plague in China!
MRS KNOX. The floods in France!
GILBEY. My Bobby in Wormwood Scrubbs!
KNOX. Margaret in Holloway!
GILBEY. And now my footman tells me his brother's a duke!
KNOX. | No!
|
MRS KNOX. | Whats that?
GILBEY.
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