Page:Anthony Hope - The Dolly Dialogues.djvu/126

 He stopped, paralysed by a cry from Dolly.

'Archie, what in the world are you wearing?'

I turned a startled gaze upon Archie.

'It's just an old suit I routed out,' said he apologetically.

I looked at Dolly; her eyes were close shut and she gasped,—

'My dear, dear boy, go and change it!'

'I don't see why it's not'

'Go and change it, if you love me,' besought Dolly.

'Oh, all right.'

'You look hideous in it,' she said, her eyes still shut.

Archie, who is very docile, withdrew. A guilty silence reigned for some moments. Then Dolly opened her eyes.

'It was the suit,' she said, with a shudder. 'Oh, how it all came back to me!'

'I could wish,' I observed, taking my hat, 'that it would all come back to me.'

'I wonder if you mean that!'

'As much as I ever did,' said I earnestly.

'And that is?'

'Quite enough.'

'How tiresome you are!' she said, turning away with a smile.

Outside I met Archie in another suit.

'A quick change, eh, my boy?' said he.

'It took just a week,' I remarked absently.

Archie stared.