HORACE:  We oughta—­make it more unpleasant for some of those jays.  Gives the school a bad name.

FUSSIE:  But, listen, Horace, honest—­you’ll just die.  He said he was going to get the book this afternoon.  Now you know what he looks like, but he turns to—­(both girls are convulsed)

DORIS:  It’ll get him all fussed up!  And for nothing at all!

HORACE:  Too bad that class of people come here.  I think I’ll go to Harvard next year.  Haven’t broken it to my parents—­but I’ve about made up my mind.

DORIS:  Don’t you think Morton’s a good school, Horace?

HORACE:  Morton’s all right.  Fine for the—­(kindly) people who would naturally come here.  But one gets an acquaintance at Harvard.  Wher’d’y’ want these passionate lines?

(FUSSIE and DORIS are off again convulsed.)

HORACE:  (eye falling on the page where he opens the book) Say, old Bones could spill the English—­what?  Listen to this flyer.  ’For when we say that culture is to know the best that has been thought and said in the world, we simply imply that for culture a system directly tending to that end is necessary in our reading.’ (he reads it with mock solemnity, delighting FUSSIE and DORIS) The best that has been thought and said in the world!’

(MADELINE MORTON comes in from right; she carries a tennis racket.)

MADELINE:  (both critical and good-humoured) You haven’t made a large contribution to that, have you, Horace?

HORACE:  Madeline, you don’t want to let this sarcastic habit grow on you.

MADELINE:  Thanks for the tip.

FUSSIE:  Oh—­Madeline, (holds out her hand to take the book from HORACE and shows it to MADELINE) You know—­

DORIS:  S-h Don’t be silly, (to cover this) Who you playing with?

HORACE:  Want me to play with you, Madeline?

MADELINE:  (genially) I’d rather play with you than talk to you.

HORACE:  Same here.

FUSSIE:  Aren’t cousins affectionate?

MADELINE:  (moving through to the other part of the library) But first
I’m looking for a book.

HORACE:  Well, I can tell you without your looking it up, he did say it.  But that was an age of different values.  Anyway, the fact that they’re quoting it shows it’s being misapplied.

MADELINE:  (smiling) Father said so.

HORACE:  (on his dignity) Oh, of course—­if you don’t want to be serious.

(MADELINE laughs and passes on through.)

DORIS:  What are you two talking about?

HORACE:  Madeline happened to overhear a little discussion down on the campus.

FUSSIE:  Listen.  You know something?  Sometimes I think Madeline Morton is a highbrow in disguise.

HORACE:  Say, you don’t want to start anything like that.  Madeline’s all right.  She and I treat each other rough—­but that’s being in the family.