Hillcrist. Really, my dear, you are getting——­

Jill.  The limit.  Now, Rolf——­

Hillcrist. What’s Rolf?  Another dog?

Jill.  Rolf Hornblower’s a topper; he really is a nice boy.

Hillcrist. [With a sharp look] Oh!  He’s a nice boy?

Jill.  Yes, darling.  You know what a nice boy is, don’t you?

Hillcrist. Not in these days.

Jill.  Well, I’ll tell you.  In the first place, he’s not amorous.

Hillcrist. What!  Well, that’s some comfort.

Jill.  Just a jolly good companion.

Hillcrist. To whom?

Jill.  Well, to anyone—­me.

Hillcrist. Where?

Jill.  Anywhere.  You don’t suppose I confine myself to the home paddocks, do you?  I’m naturally rangey, Father.

Hillcrist. [Ironically] You don’t say so!

Jill.  In the second place, he doesn’t like discipline.

Hillcrist. Jupiter!  He does seem attractive.

Jill.  In the third place, he bars his father.

Hillcrist. Is that essential to nice girls too?

Jill. [With a twirl of his hair] Fish not!  Fourthly, he’s got ideas.

Hillcrist. I knew it!

Jill.  For instance, he thinks—­as I do——­

Hillcrist. Ah!  Good ideas.

Jill. [Pulling gently] Careful!  He thinks old people run the show too much.  He says they oughtn’t to, because they’re so damtouchy.  Are you damtouchy, darling?

Hillcrist. Well, I’m——!  I don’t know about touchy.

Jill.  He says there’ll be no world fit to live in till we get rid of the old.  We must make them climb a tall tree, and shake them off it.

Hillcrist. [Drily] Oh! he says that!

Jill.  Otherwise, with the way they stand on each other’s rights, they’ll spoil the garden for the young.

Hillcrist. Does his father agree?

Jill.  Oh!  Rolf doesn’t talk to him, his mouth’s too large.  Have you ever seen it, Dodo?

Hillcrist. Of course.

Jill.  It’s considerable, isn’t it?  Now yours is—­reticent, darling. [Rumpling his hair.]

Hillcrist. It won’t be in a minute.  Do you realise that I’ve got gout?

Jill.  Poor ducky!  How long have we been here, Dodo?

Hillcrist. Since Elizabeth, anyway.

Jill. [Looking at his foot] It has its drawbacks.  D’you think Hornblower had a father?  I believe he was spontaneous.  But, Dodo, why all this—­this attitude to the Hornblowers?

     [She purses her lips and makes a gesture as of pushing persons
     away.]

Hillcrist. Because they’re pushing.