er?
(_All stand silent._) Good-bye, Mr. Sladder.

[_He goes to the door, passing_ ERMYNTRUDE. _He looks at her and sighs
as he goes. He passes_ MRS. SLADDER _near the door, and bows in
silence._

[_Exit._

ERMYNTRUDE: What have you been saying to Mr. Hippanthigh, father?

SLADDER: Saying! He's been doing all the saying. He doesn't let you do
much saying, does Hippanthigh.

ERMYNTRUDE: But, father. What did he come to see you about?

SLADDER: He came to call your poor old father all kinds of bad names, he
did. It seems your old father is a wicked fellow, Ermyntrude.

ERMYNTRUDE: O, father, I'm sure he never meant it.

[HIPPANTHIGH _goes by the window with a mournful face._ ERMYNTRUDE _runs
to the window and watches him till he is out of sight. She quietly waves
her hand to_ HIPPANTHIGH, _unseen by her father._

SLADDER: O, he meant it all right. He meant it. I'm sorry for that
bishop of his that he quarrels with, if he lets him have it the way he
went for your poor old father. O, dear me; dear me.

ERMYNTRUDE: I don't think he quarrels with him, father. I think he only
insists that there can be no such thing as eternal punishment. I think
that's rather nice of him.

SLADDER: I don't care a damn about eternal punishment one way or the
other. But a man who quarrels with the head of his firm's a fool. If his
bishop's keen on hell, he should push hell for all it's worth.

ERMYNTRUDE: Y-e-s, I suppose he should. But, father, aren't you glad
that my mice have eaten the new cheese? I thought you'd be glad, father.

SLADDER: So I am, child. So I am. Only I don't feel quite so glad as I
thought I was going to, now. I don't know why. He seems to have stroked
me the wrong way somehow.

ERMYNTRUDE: You said you'd give me whatever I liked.

SLADDER: And so I will, child. So I will. A motor if you like, with
chauffeur and footman complete. We can buy anything now, and I wouldn't
grudge----

ERMYNTRUDE: I don't want a motor, father.

SLADDER: What would you like to have?

ERMYNTRUDE: O, nothing, father, nothing. Only about that duke,
father----

SLADDER: What duke, Ermyntrude?

ERMYNTRUDE: Mother said you wanted me to marry a duke some day, father.

SLADDER: Well?

ERMYNTRUDE: Well I--er--I don't think I quite want to, father.

SLADDER: Ah! Quite so. Quite so. Quite so. And who _did_ you think of
marrying?

ERMYNTRUDE: O, father.

SLADDER: Well? (ERMYNTRUDE _is silent._) When I was his age, I had to
wo