Jill. Well?
Rolf. Snobbish. [Jill laughs.]
She may not be your class; and that’s just why
it’s
snobbish.
Jill. I think you’d better shut up.
Rolf. What my father said was true; your mother’s rudeness to her that day she came here, has made both him and Charlie ever so much more bitter.
[Jill whistles the Habanera from “Carmen.”]
[Staring at her, rather angrily]
Is it a whistling matter?
Jill. No.
Rolf. I suppose you want me to go?
Jill. Yes.
Rolf. All right. Aren’t we ever going to be friends again?
Jill. [Looking steadily at him] I don’t expect so.
Rolf. That’s very-horrible.
Jill. Lots of horrible things in the world.
Rolf. It’s our business to make them fewer, Jill.
Jill. [Fiercely] Don’t be moral.
Rolf. [Hurt] That’s the last thing I want to be.—I only want to be friendly.
Jill. Better be real first.
Rolf. From the big point of view——
Jill. There isn’t any. We’re all out, for our own. And why not?
Rolf. By jove, you have got——
Jill. Cynical? Your father’s
motto—“Every man for himself.”
That’s the winner—hands down.
Goodbye!
Rolf. Jill! Jill!
Jill. [Putting her hands behind her back, hums]—
“If
auld acquaintance be forgot
And
days of auld lang syne”——
Rolf. Don’t!
[With a pained gesture he goes
out towards Left, through the
French window.]
[Jill, who has broken off
the song, stands with her hands
clenched and her lips quivering.]
[Fellows enters Left.]
Fellows. Mr. Dawker, Miss, and two gentlemen.
Jill. Let the three gentlemen in, and me out.
[She passes him and
goes out Left. And immediately. Dawker
and the two strangers
come in.]
Fellows. I’ll inform Mrs. Hillcrist, sir. The Squire is on his rounds. [He goes out Left.]
[The three men
gather in a discreet knot at the big bureau,
having glanced at the
two doors and the open French window.]
Dawker. Now this may come into Court, you know. If there’s a screw loose anywhere, better mention it. [To second strange] You knew her personally?
Second S. What do you think? I don’t, take girls on trust for that sort of job. She came to us highly recommended, too; and did her work very well. It was a double stunt—to make sure—wasn’t it, George?
First S. Yes; we paid her for the two visits.