‘Why shouldn’t she?’
‘My dear young man, Dinny’s been in very deep waters. She’s in them even now.’
‘I don’t know anyone I’d like better for a sister-in-law.’
‘Don’t you wish you may get her?’
‘God! Yes! Don’t I!’
‘What do you think of Dornford, Tony?’
‘Awfully decent, not a bit dry.’
‘If he were a doctor he’d have a wonderful bedside manner. He’s a Catholic.’
‘Wasn’t that against him in the election?’
‘It would have been, but his opponent was an atheist, so they cried quits.’
‘Terrible humbug, politics.’
‘But rather fun.’
‘Still, Dornford won that Bar point-to-point – he must have guts.’
‘Lots. I should say he’d face anything in his quiet way. I’m quite fond of him.’
‘Oh!’
‘No intention to incite you, Tony.’
‘This is like being on board ship, sitting side by side, and – stymied. Come out for a cigarette.’
‘People are coming back. Prepare yourself to point me the moral of the next act. At present I don’t see any.’
‘Wait!’…
Dinny drew in her breath.
‘That’s terrible. I can just remember the Titanic. Awful, the waste in the world!’
‘You’re right.’
‘Waste of life, and waste of love.’
‘Have you come up against much waste?’
‘Yes.’
‘You don’t care to talk about it?’
‘No.’
‘I don’t believe that your sister’s going to be wasted. She’s too vivid.’
‘Yes, but her head’s in chancery.’
‘She’ll duck from under.’
‘I can’t bear to think of her life being spoiled. Isn’t there some legal dodge, Mr Dornford; without publicity, I mean?’
‘If he would give cause, there need be very little of that.’
‘He won’t. He’s feeling vindictive.’
‘I see. Then I’m afraid there’s nothing for it but to wait. These things generally disentangle themselves. Catholics are not supposed to believe in divorce. But if you feel this is a case for one –’
‘Clare’s only twenty-four. She can’t live alone the rest of her life.’
‘Were you thinking of doing that?’
‘I! That’s different.’
‘Yes, you’re very unlike, but to have you wasted would be far worse. Just as much worse as wasting a lovely day in winter is than wasting one in summer.’
‘The curtain’s going up.’…
‘I wonder,’ muttered Clare: ‘It didn’t look to me as if their love would have lasted long. They were eating each other like sugar.’
‘My God, if you and I on that boat had been –’
‘You’re very young, Tony.’
‘Two years older than you.’
‘And about ten years younger.’
‘Don’t you really believe in love lasting, Clare?’
‘Not passion. And after that generally the deluge. Only with those two on the Titanic it came too soon. A cold sea! Ugh!’
‘Let me pull your cloak up.’
‘I don’t believe I like this show too frightfully, Tony. It digs into you, and I don’t want to be dug into.’
‘I liked it better the first time, certainly.’
‘Thank you!’
‘It’s being close to you, and not close enough. But the war part of the play’s the best.’
‘The whole thing makes me feel I don’t want to be alive.’
‘That’s “the satire.” ’
‘One half of him is mocking the other. It gives me the fidgets. Too like oneself.’
‘I wish we’d gone to a movie, I could have held your hand.’
‘Dornford’s looking at Dinny as if she were the Madonna of the future that he wanted to make a Madonna of the past.’
‘So he does, you say.’
‘He really has a nice face. I wonder what he’ll think of the war part. “Weigh-hey! Up she rises!” ’…
Dinny sat with closed eyes, acutely feeling the remains of moisture on her cheeks.
‘But she never would have done that,’ she said, huskily, ‘not waved a flag and cheered. Never! She might have mixed in the crowd, but never that!’
‘No, that’s a stage touch. Pity! But a jolly good act. Really good!’
‘These poor gay raddled singing girls, getting more and more wretched and raddled, and that “Tipperary” whistling! The war must have been awful!’
‘One got sort of exalted.’