SHE. Well?
HE. Marriage is a serious matter. Now don't take offense! I only meant
that-well--(_He starts again_.) We _are_ in love with each other, and
that's the important thing. But, as you said, we don't know each other.
I've no doubt that when we get acquainted we will like each other
better still. But we've got to get acquainted first.
SHE. (_rising_) You're just like Tubby buying a house. You want to
know all about it. Well! I warn you that you'll never know all about
me. So you needn't try.
HE. (_apologetically_) It was _your_ suggestion.
SHE. (_impatiently_) Oh, all right! Go ahead and cross-examine me
if you like. I'll tell you to begin with that I'm perfectly healthy,
and that there's no T. B., insanity, or Socialism in my family. What
else do you want to know?
HE.(_hesitantly_) Why did you put in Socialism, along with insanity and
T. B.?
SHE. Oh, just for fun. You aren't a Socialist, are you?
HE. Yes. (_Earnestly_) Do you know what Socialism is?
SHE. (_innocently_) It's the same thing as Anarchy, isn't it?
HE. (_gently_) No. At least not my kind. I believe in municipal
ownership of street cars, and all that sort of thing. I'll give you
some books to read.
SHE. Well, I never ride in street cars, so I don't care whether they're
municipally owned or not. By the way, do you dance?
HE. No.
SHE. You must learn right away. I can't bother to teach you myself, but
I know where you can get private lessons and become really good in a
month. It is stupid not to be able to dance.
HE. (_as if he had tasted quinine_) I can see myself doing the tango!
Grr!
SHE. The tango went out long ago, my dear.
HE. (_with great decision_) Well--I _won't_ learn to dance. You might
as well know that to begin with.
SHE. And I won't read your old books on Socialism. You might as well
know that to begin with!
HE. Come, come! This will never do. You see, my dear, it's simply that
I _can't_ dance, and there's no use for me to try to learn.
SHE. Anybody can learn. I've made expert dancers out of the awkwardest
men!
HE. But, you see, I've no inclination toward dancing. It's out of my
world.
SHE. And I've no inclination toward municipal ownership. _It's_ out of
_my_ world!
HE. It ought not to be out of the world of any intelligent person.
SHE. (_turning her back on him_) All right--if you want to call me
stupid!
HE. (_turning and looking away meditatively_) It appears that we
have very few tastes in common.
SHE. (_tapping her foot_) So it seems.