Transcribed from “The Sleeping Car and OtherFarces” 1911 Houghton Mifflin Company edition by DavidPrice,
Scene: Through the curtaineddoorway of Mrs. Edward Roberts’s prettydrawing-room, in Hotel Bellingham, shows the snowy and gleamingarray of a table set for dinner, under the dim light ofgas-burners turned low. An air of expectancy pervades theplace, and the uneasiness of Mr. Roberts, in eveningdress, expresses something more as he turns from a glance intothe dining-room, and still holding the portièrewith one hand, takes out his watch with the other.
Mr. Roberts to Mrs. Roberts entering thedrawing-room from regions beyond: “My dear, it’s sixo’clock. What can have become of youraunt?”
Mrs. Roberts, with a little anxiety: “That wasjust what I was going to ask. She’s never late; andthe children are quite heart-broken. They p. 162had countedupon seeing her, and talking Christmas a little before they wereput to bed.”
Roberts: “Very singular her not coming! Isshe going to begin standing upon ceremony with us, and not cometill the hour?”
Mrs. Roberts: “Nonsense, Edward! She’s been detained. Of course she’ll be herein a moment. How impatient you are!”
Roberts: “You must profit by me as an awfulexample.”
Mrs. Roberts, going about the room, and bestowinglittle touches here and there on its ornaments: “Ifyou’d had that new cook to battle with over this dinner,you’d have learned patience by this time without any awfulexample.”
Roberts, dropping nervously into the nearest chair:“I hope she isn’t behind time.”
Mrs. Roberts, drifting upon the sofa, and disposing hertrain effectively on the carpet around her: “She’sbefore time. The dinner is in the last moment of ripeperfection now, when we must still give people fifteenminutes’ grace.” She studies the convolutionsof her train absent-mindedly.
Roberts, joining in its perusal: “Is that the wayp.163you’ve arranged to be sitting when people comein?”
Mrs. Roberts: “Of course not. I shall getup to receive them.”
Roberts: “That’s rather a pity. Todestroy such a lovely pose.”
Mrs. Roberts: “Do you like it?”
Roberts: “It’s divine.”
Mrs. Roberts: “You might throw me akiss.”
Roberts: “No; if it happened to strike on thattrain anywhere, it might spoil one of the folds. Ican’t risk it.” A ring is heard at theapartment door. They spring to their feetsimultaneously.
Mrs. Roberts: “There’s Aunt Marynow!” She calls into the vestibule, “AuntMary!”
Dr. Lawton, putting aside the vestibuleportière, with affected timidity: “Verysorry. Merely a father.”
Mrs. Roberts: “Oh! Dr. Lawton? I amso glad to see you!” She gives him her hand: “Ithought it was my aunt. We can’t understand why shehasn’t come. Why! where’s MissLawton?”
Lawton: “That is precisely what I was going toask you.”
p.164Mrs. Roberts: “Why, she isn’there.”
Lawton: “So it seems. I left her with thecarriage at the door when I started to walk here. Shecalled after me down the stairs that she would be ready in threeseconds, and begged me to hurry, so that we could come intogether, and not let people know I’d saved half a dollarby walking.”
Mrs. Roberts: “She’s been detainedtoo!”
Roberts, coming forward: “Now you know what it isto have a