No! Oh! No!

MISS HENEAGE. Do you intend, despite of our opinion of you--

CYNTHIA. The only opinion that would have any weight with me would be
Mrs. Phillimore's.

[_She turns expectantly to_ MRS. PHILLIMORE.

MRS. PHILLIMORE. I am generally asleep at this hour, and, accordingly,
I will not venture to express any--eh--any--actual opinion. [_She
fades away._ CYNTHIA _smiles._

MISS HENEAGE. [_Coldly._] You smile. We simply inform you that as
regards _us_, the alliance is not grateful.

CYNTHIA. [_Affecting gaiety and unconcern._] And all this because the
gasoline gave out.

SUDLEY. My patience has given out!

GRACE. So has mine. I'm going.

[_She makes good her word._

SUDLEY. [_Vexed beyond civility. To_ CYNTHIA.] My dear young lady: You
come here, to this sacred--eh--eh--spot--altar!-- [_Gesture._]
odoriferous of the paddock!--speaking of Spiffles and Buckeye,--having
practically eloped!--having created a scandal, and disgraced our
family!

CYNTHIA. [_Affecting surprise at this attitude._] How does it disgrace
you? Because I like to see a high-bred, clean, nervy, sweet little
four-legged gee play the antelope over a hurdle!

MISS HENEAGE. Sister, it is high time that you--

[_She turns to_ CYNTHIA _with a gesture._

CYNTHIA. [_With quiet irony._] Mrs. Phillimore is generally asleep at
this hour, and accordingly she will not venture to express--

SUDLEY. [_Spluttering with irritation._] Enough, madam--I _venture_
to--to--to--to say, you are leading a fast life.

CYNTHIA. [_With powerful intention._] Not in this house! For six heavy
weeks have I been laid away in the grave, and I've found it very slow
indeed trying to keep pace with the dead!

SUDLEY. [_Despairingly._] This comes of horses!

CYNTHIA. [_Indignant._] Of what?

SUDLEY. C-c-caring for horses!

MISS HENEAGE. [_With sublime morality._] What Mrs. Karslake cares for
is--men.

CYNTHIA. [_Angry and gay._] What would you have me care for? The
Ornithorhyncus Paradoxus? or Pithacanthropus Erectus? Oh, I refuse to
take you seriously. [SUDLEY _begins to prepare to leave; he buttons
himself into respectability and his coat._

SUDLEY. My dear madam, I take myself seriously--and madam, I--I
retract what I have brought with me [_Feeling in his waistcoat
pocket._] as a graceful gift,--an Egyptian scarab--a--a--sacred
beetle, which once ornamented the person of a--eh--mummy.

CYNTHIA. [_Scoring in return._]