FOULDES.
I daresay, but thank heaven, I have some sense of decency left, and it outrages all my susceptibilities that a man in side-whiskers should call himself anybody's chickabiddy.
LADY FREDERICK.
Protestations of undying affection are never ridiculous when they are accompanied by such splendid emeralds.
FOULDES.
[_Starting and growing suddenly serious._] And what about Maud?
LADY FREDERICK.
Well?
FOULDES.
Poor girl, it'd simply break her heart. He preached at her steadily for twenty years, and she worshipped the very ground he trod on. She'd have died of grief at his death except she felt it her duty to go on with his work.
LADY FREDERICK.
I know.
FOULDES.
By Jove, it's a good card. You were quite right to refuse the emeralds: these letters are twice as valuable.
LADY FREDERICK.
Would you like to burn them?
FOULDES.
Betsy!
LADY FREDERICK.
There's the stove. Put them in.
[_He takes them up in both hands and hurries to the stove. But he stops and brings them back, he throws them on the sofa._
FOULDES.
No, I won't.
LADY FREDERICK.
Why not?
FOULDES.
It's too dooced generous. I'll fight you tooth and nail, but it's not fair to take an advantage over me like that. You'll bind my hands with fetters.
LADY FREDERICK.
Very well. You've had your chance.
FOULDES.
But, by Jove, you must have a good hand to throw away a card like that.
What have you got--a straight flush?
LADY FREDERICK.
I may be only bluffing, you know.
FOULDES.
Lord, it does me good to hear your nice old Irish brogue again.
LADY FREDERICK.
Faith, and does it?
FOULDES.
I believe you only put it on to get over people.
LADY FREDERICK.
[_Smiling._] Begorrah, it's not easy to get over you.
FOULDES.
Lord, I was in love with you once, wasn't I?
LADY FREDERICK.
Not more than lots of other people have been.
FOULDES.
And you did treat me abominably.
LADY FREDERICK.
Ah, that's what they all said. But you got over it very well.
FOULDES.