except on delivery.

LOUIS. Damn those fellows! they think of nothing and care for nothing
but their wretched money.

MRS DUBEDAT. Still, if they pay us, they ought to have what they pay
for.

LOUIS [coaxing;] There now: thats enough lecturing for to-day. Ive
promised to be good, havnt I?

MRS DUDEBAT [putting her arms round his neck] You know that I hate
lecturing, and that I dont for a moment misunderstand you, dear, dont
you?

LOUIS [fondly] I know. I know. I'm a wretch; and youre an angel. Oh, if
only I were strong enough to work steadily, I'd make my darling's house
a temple, and her shrine a chapel more beautiful than was ever imagined.
I cant pass the shops without wrestling with the temptation to go in and
order all the really good things they have for you.

MRS DUBEDAT. I want nothing but you, dear. [She gives him a caress, to
which he responds so passionately that she disengages herself]. There!
be good now: remember that the doctors are coming this morning. Isnt it
extraordinarily kind of them, Louis, to insist on coming? all of them,
to consult about you?

LOUIS [coolly] Oh, I daresay they think it will be a feather in their
cap to cure a rising artist. They wouldnt come if it didnt amuse them,
anyhow. [Someone knocks at the door]. I say: its not time yet, is it?

MRS DUDEBAT. No, not quite yet.

LOUIS [opening the door and finding Ridgeon there] Hello, Ridgeon.
Delighted to see you. Come in.

MRS DUDEBAT [shaking hands] It's so good of you to come, doctor.

LOUIS. Excuse this place, wont you? Its only a studio, you know: theres
no real convenience for living here. But we pig along somehow, thanks to
Jennifer.

MRS DUBEDAT. Now I'll run away. Perhaps later on, when youre finished
with Louis, I may come in and hear the verdict. [Ridgeon bows rather
constrainedly]. Would you rather I didnt?

RIDGEON. Not at all. Not at all.

Mrs Dubedat looks at him, a little puzzled by his formal manner; then
goes into the inner room.

LOUIS [flippantly] I say: dont look so grave. Theres nothing awful going
to happen, is there?

RIDGEON. No.

LOUIS. Thats all right. Poor Jennifer has been looking forward to
your visit more than you can imagine. Shes taken quite a fancy to you,
Ridgeon. The poor girl has nobody to talk to: I'm always painting.
[Taking up a sketch] Theres a little sketch I made of her yesterday.

RIDGEON. She shewed it to me a fortnight ago when she first called on
me.

LOUIS [quite