Page:Plays by Jacinto Benavente - Second series (IA playsbyjacintobe00bena).pdf/256

 but keep engagements which they make for them. They plan and settle it all beforehand, days ahead; such a night we go to the theatre, such an evening we have guests to dinner. A man cannot be expected to burden his mind with these petty details. You are the very first to find fault with us when we neglect our business or our other affairs, yet you expect us always to be sitting at home, waiting on your pleasure, I cannot understand women; positively, I cannot understand them.

. Yes, women are all unreasonable. Nobody understands them. He has known perfectly well since Monday that we were to dine here this evening, yet he must select this very evening

. Don't you want me to go? Very well, then, I won't go; I am perfectly agreeable.

. Yes, you are! You are going just the same. I insist upon it. I don't care to have you sitting around all evening if this is what you are going to look like.

. Whether I go or not, I shall make it a point to provide a little opportunity, shortly, for you to look pleasant.

. It will take a great deal to make me look like you do now.

. Whenever I turn around, it seems I am responsible.

. You are two children.

. Why didn't you tell me that you had prepared this little scene before we left home?

. You can stop it by leaving if you don't like it—and the sooner the better. If you had let me come alone, as I wished, you would have avoided it altogether.

. I didn't want Isabel and your father to think…

. What do you care what they think? Papa always sides with you, and Isabel has too much sense to interfere.