JACK. You think? Are you sure you’ve not been drinking?
SIMPSON. No, sir, no, really.... I’m all right, now, sir.
JACK. Well, you don’t look it. But the drive will put you right. You
run out and tell the boy to bring the trap here by eleven.
SIMPSON. Yes, sir. (_SIMPSON goes out half-dazed, and JACK sits down
again._)
JACK (_in a tone of sympathy to OMETSU_). I know what it is, darling.
He’s fretting about me and the ship. Of course I know he thinks I’m a
wonderful sailor and that I’m cut out for an admiral, and that nobody’s
worth knowing who isn’t in the Navy; but he’ll soon get over that once
we’re at Singapore and get to work on our little schooner. By Jove,
pettling, we shall have to show what we can do as sailors then!
OMETSU. But I shall be with you, and we shall be so happy, and I am so
proud of you, Jack--my Jack!
(_She slides off her chair and turns towards him; he pushes his
chair back and holds out his arms and takes her on his knees._)
JACK. And I am proud of you.... Why--you’ve got a new dress?
OMETSU (_nods her head, and looks at him quizzically_). And you hadn’t
noticed it before? Mother gave it to me for my birthday. Do you like
it? (_She slips off his knee and struts in front of him._)
JACK. It’s a vision, darling, a vision of delight. But I want to hold
you; come here.
OMETSU (_she trips back to him, and leaning her face against his
shoulder, says dreamily_). I am _so_ happy!
JACK. So am I. So happy that it seems like a beautiful dream. I
sometimes have to stop and shake myself to make sure that I’m not lying
in that stuffy old bunk of mine on the Leviathon. But it’s no dream.
It’s a wonderful, beautiful reality----
OMETSU. Yes, it is wonderful. I am a lucky girl.
JACK. And I’m a lucky boy, and we’ll say that every day for years and
years and----
OMETSU. We’ll never get tired?