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PDFL. Anne. [Scrutinizing the widely—grinning Thom] Where? Is it in his mouth?
James. You’ve still got a sense of your superiors. Didn’t you notice how you moved to Poulder’s orders, me boy; an’ when he was gone, to mine?
L. Anne. [To Thomas] March!
[The grinning Thomas remains immovable.]
He doesn’t, James!
James. Look here, Miss Anne—your
lights ought to be out before ten.
Close in, Tommy!
[He and Thomas move towards her.]
L. Anne. [Dodging] Oh, no! Oh, no! Look!
[The footmen stop and
turn. There between the pillars, stands
little Aida
with the trousers, her face brilliant With
surprise.]
James. Good Lord! What’s this?
[Seeing L. Anne,
little Aida approaches, fascinated, and the
two
children sniff at each
other as it were like two little dogs
walking round and round.]
L. Anne. [Suddenly] My name’s Anne; what’s yours?
L. Aida. Aida.
L. Anne. Are you lost?
L. Aida. Nao.
L. Anne. Are those trousers?
L. Aida. Yus.
L. Arms. Whose?
L. Aida. Mrs. Lemmy’s.
L. Anne. Does she wear them?
[Little Aida smiles brilliantly.]
L. Aida. Nao. She sews ’em.
L. Anne. [Touching the trousers] They are hard. James’s are much softer; aren’t they, James? [James deigns no reply] What shall we do? Would you like to see my bedroom?
L. Aida. [With a hop] Aoh, yus!
James. No.
L. Anne. Why not?
James. Have some sense of what’s fittin’.
L. Anne. Why isn’t it fittin’? [To little Aida] Do you like me?
L. Aida. Yus-s.
L. Anne. So do I. Come on!
[She takes little Aida’s hand.]
James. [Between the pillars] Tommy, ketch ’em!
[Thomas retains them by the skirts.]
L. Anne. [Feigning indifference] All right,
then! [To little Aida]
Have you ever seen a bomb?
L. Aida. Nao.
L. Anne. [Going to the table and lifting a corner
of the cover]
Look!
L. Aida. [Looking] What’s it for?
L. Anne. To blow up this house.
L. Aida. I daon’t fink!
L. Anne. Why not?
L. Aida. It’s a beautiful big ’Ouse.
L. Anne. That’s why. Isn’t it, James?
L. Aida. You give the fing to me; I’ll blow up our ’ouse—it’s an ugly little ’ouse.
