off L., Eric comes down;
he is a handsome young fellow with an indolent
manner. Crossing to Kate)_ How do you do, Squire?

{Kate.} _(carelessly)_ What brings you here?

{Eric.} Strolled over from barracks--doctor says
I must walk, and your place is somewhere to
walk to.

{Kate.} Do you know Mr. Dormer?

{Eric.} _(turning to Dor.)_ No, but my mother
does. How do you do? _(Eric shakes hands with
Dormer. Dor. draws his hand away quickly and
puts his hand in trousers pocket)_ Mrs. Thorndyke
is a parishioner of yours, Mr. Dormer--her son ought
to know a little of you.

{Dormer.} If her son attended his church regularly,
he would know a little of me.

{Eric.} So my mother says. And you're not afraid
of catching cold?

{Dormer.} No, sir! I am not. _(irritably)_ Have
you never seen a man with his coat off?

{Eric.} I beg your pardon--never a clergyman.

_(Kate has finished mending the coat and has risen.
Eric takes out his cigar case.)_

_(offering it to Dormer)_ Smoke a cigar, parson?

{Kate.} _(catching his arm)_ No! _(confused)_ I--
I like to see the parson with a pipe, _(aside)_ He
mustn't see that! _(she points to the inside flap of
the case, which is worked with an inscription in silk,
and crosses behind Eric to Dormer)_

{Eric.} _(aside--reading inscription)_ "Kate's love
to Eric." Oh! by Jove, I forgot! _(he crams cigar
case hurriedly into his pocket; Kate crosses to Dor.
L. C. with coat. Eric saunters over to garden seat R.
and sits. Kate assists Dor. to put on his coat)_

{Eric.} _(lazily)_ I really must give up walking,
I'm quite knocked up.

{Dormer.} The British officer seems very easily
knocked up.

_(Kate gets L., behind table.)_

{Eric.} The British officer, at whose expense so
many people make merry, is a mild creature in
"piping times of peace"--no offence to the clay,
parson.

_(Eric lights a cigar. Dor. crosses to R., C., to speak
to him. Kate looks on anxiously, fearing a
quarrel.)_

{Dormer.} And in times of war, sir?

{Eric.} The British officer, I am credibly informed,
is a demon when roused, _(putting his legs up on
garden seat)_ I have never been roused. You don't
like my profession, parson?

{Dormer.} No, sir, I do n