!

JANE. It's what you say to everybody, isn't it?

BOBBY (loftily). If you want to know, Miss Bagot, I have only said it
to one other person in my life, and that was in mistake for you.

JANE (coldly). Melisande and I are not very much alike, Mr. Coote.

BOBBY. No. You're much prettier.

JANE (turning her head away). You don't really think so. Anyhow, it
isn't true.

BOBBY. It is true, Jane. I swear it.

JANE. Well, you didn't think so yesterday.

BOBBY. Why do you keep talking about yesterday? I'm talking about
to-day.

JANE. A girl has her pride, Bobby.

BOBBY. So has a man. I'm awfully proud of being in love with _you_.

JANE. That isn't what I mean.

BOBBY. What do you mean?

JANE (awkwardly). Well--well--well, what it comes to is that you get
refused by Sandy, and then you immediately come to me and expect me to
jump at you.

BOBBY. Suppose I had waited a year and then come to you, would that
have been better?

JANE. Of course it would.

BOBBY. Well, really I can't follow you, darling.

JANE (indignantly). You mustn't call me darling.

BOBBY. Mustn't call you what?

JANE (awkwardly). Darling.

BOBBY. Did I call you darling?

JANE (shortly). Yes.

BOBBY (to himself). "Darling." No, I suppose I mustn't. But it suits
you so awfully well--darling. (She stamps her foot) I'm sorry,
darl---- I mean Jane, but really I can't follow you. Because you're so
frightfully fascinating, that after twenty-four hours of it, I simply
have to tell you how much I love you, then your pride is hurt. But if
you had been so frightfully unattractive that it took me a whole year
to see anything in you at all, then apparently you'd have been awfully
proud.

JANE. You _have_ known me a whole year, Bobby.

BOBBY. Not really, you know. Directly I saw you and Sandy together I
knew I was in love with one of you, but--well, love is a dashed rummy
thing, and I thought it was Sandy. And so I didn't really see you till
last night, when you were so awfully decent to me.

JANE (wistfully). It sounds very well, but the trouble is that it will
sound just as well to the next girl.

BOBBY. What next girl?

JANE. The one you propose to to-morrow.

BOBBY. You know, Jane, when you talk like that I feel that you don't
deserve to be proposed to at all.

JANE (loftily). I'm sure I don't want to be.

BOBBY (coming closer). Are you?

JANE. Am I what?

BOBBY. Quite sure.

JANE. I should have thought it was pretty obviou