lanning.
Come, Katie, tell me, on this fine spring morning, what sort of husband
would you prefer?

CATHERINE. [_Annoyed,--with girlish impatience._] You're always speaking
of weddings, Uncle Peter. I don't know what's come over you of late.

PETER. It's nesting time, ... spring weddings are in the air; besides, my
grandmother's linen-chest upstairs must be used again for you
[_Impulsively drawing_ CATHERINE _to him._], my house fairy. [_Kisses
her._] There, I mustn't tease her. But I leave it to Fritz if I don't owe
her a fine husband--this girl of mine. Look what she has done for _me!_

CATHERINE. Done for you? I do you the great favour to let _you_ do
everything for _me_.

PETER. Ah, but who lays out my linen? Who puts flowers on my desk every
day? Who gets up at dawn to eat breakfast with me? Who sees that I have my
second cup of coffee? But better than all that--who brings youth into my
old house?

CATHERINE. That's not much--youth.

PETER. No? We'll leave it to Fritz. [FREDERIK, _amused, listens in
silence._] What should I be now--a rough old fellow--a bachelor--without
youth in my house, eh? God knows! Katie has softened me towards all the
ladies--er--mellowed me as time has mellowed my old pictures. [_Points to
pictures._] And I was growing hard--hard and fussy.

CATHERINE. [_Laughing._] Ah, Uncle Peter, have I made you take a liking to
all the rest of the ladies?

PETER. Yes. It's just as it is when you have a pet: you like all that
breed. You can only see _your_ kind of kitten.

JAMES. [_Coming down a step, impressed by_ PETER'S _remark--speaking
earnestly._] That's so, sir. [_The others are surprised._] I hadn't
thought of it in that way, but it's true. You study a girl for the first
time, and presently you notice the same little traits in every one of
them. It makes you feel differently towards all the rest.

PETER. [_Amused._] Why, James, what do you know about girls? "Bachelor" is
stamped all over you--you're positively labelled.

JAMES. [_Good-naturedly._] Perhaps. [_Goes back to the office._

PETER. Poor James! What a life before him! When a bachelor wants to order
a three-rib roast, who's to eat it? I never had a proper roast until Katie
and Frederik came to make up my family; [_Rubbing his hands._] but the
roasts are not big enough. [_Giving_ FREDERIK _a knowing look._] We must
find a husband.

CATHERINE. You promised not to--

PETER. I want to see a long, long table with plenty of you