Page:Anthony Hope - The Dolly Dialogues.djvu/23

 'Yes, it's 500,' said she, smiling. 'Here's old Lady M.'s.'

Whose? I exclaimed.

'Archie's mother's, you know. "My dear Dorothea (as I suppose I must call you now),—Archibald has informed us of his engagement, and I and the girls" (there are five girls, Mr. Carter) "hasten to welcome his bride. I am sure Archie will make his wife very happy. He is rather particular (like his dear father), but he has a good heart, and is not fidgety about his meals. Of course we shall be delighted to move out of The Towers at once. I hope we shall see a great deal of you soon. Archie is full of your praises, and we thoroughly trust his taste. Archie" It's all about Archie, you see.'

'Naturally,' said I.

'Well, I don't know. I suppose I count a little, too. Oh, look here. Here's Cousin Fred's—but he's always so silly. I shan't read you his.'

'Oh, just a bit of it,' I pleaded.

'Well, here's one bit. "I suppose I can't murder him, so I must wish him joy. All I can say is, Dolly, that he's the luckiest" (something I can't read—either fellow or—devil) "I ever heard of. I wonder if you've forgotten that evening

'Well, go on.' For she stopped.

'Oh, there's nothing else.'

'In fact, you have forgotten the evening?'

'Entirely,' said Miss Dolly, tossing her head.