"There was a lady once,
That would not be a queen,--that would she not,
For all the mud in Egypt."
You were complaining the other day of having to go out a great
deal oftener than you liked.
EGYPT. Yes, so I was; but then, it isn't to dance. There's no room
to dance: it's--(Pausing to consider what it is for).
L. It is only to be seen, I suppose. Well, there's no harm in
that. Girls ought to like to be seen.
DORA (her eyes flashing). Now, you don't mean that; and you're too
provoking; and we won't dance again, for a month.
L. It will answer every purpose of revenge, Dora, if you only
banish me to the library; and dance by yourselves; but I don't
think Jessie and Lily will agree to that. You like me to see you
dancing, don't you, Lily?
LILY. Yes, certainly,--when we do it rightly.
L. And besides, Miss Dora, if young ladies really do not want to
be seen, they should take care not to let their eyes flash when
they dislike what people say: and, more than that, it is all
nonsense from beginning to end, about not wanting to be seen. I
don't know any more tiresome flower in the borders than your
especially "modest" snowdrop; which one always has to stoop down
and take all sorts of tiresome trouble with, and nearly break its
poor little head off, before you can see it; and then, half of it
is not worth seeing. Girls should be like daisies, nice and white,
with an edge of red, if you look close, making the ground bright
wherever they are, knowing simply and quietly that they do it, and
are meant to do it and that it would be very wrong if they didn't
do it. Not want to be seen, indeed! How long were you in doing up
your back hair, this afternoon Jessie?
(JESSIE not immediately answering, DORA comes to her assistance)
DORA. Not above three-quarters of an hour, I think, Jess?
JESSIE (putting her finger up). Now, Dorothy, you needn't talk,
you know!
L. I know she needn't, Jessie, I shall ask her about those dark
plaits presently. (DORA looks round to see if there is any way
open for retreat) But never mind, it was worth the time, whatever
it was, and nobody will ever mistake that golden wreath for a
chignon: but if you don't want it to be seen you had better wear a
cap.
JESSIE. Ah, now, are you really going to do nothing but play? And
we all have been thinking, and thinking, all day, and hoping you
would tell us things, and now--!
L. And now I am telling you things, and true things, and things
good for you, and you won't believe me. You might as well have let
me go to sleep at once, as I wanted to. (Endeavors again to make
himself comfortable.)
ISABEL. Oh, no, no, you sha'n't go to sleep, you naughty!--
Kathleen, come here.
L. (knowing what he has to expect if KATHLEEN comes). Get away,
Isabel, you're too heavy. (Sitting up.) What have I been saying?
DORA. I do believe he has been asleep all the time! You never
heard anything like the things you've been saying.
L. Perhaps not. If you have heard them, and anything like them, it
is all I want.
EGYPT. Yes, but we don't understand, and you know we don't; and we
want to.