dition of health of one of you would have enabled me to venture—
Philip: In fact, you were going to chance your arm.
D. V.: As far as I comprehend the significance of that popular phrase, I was.
Philip: You seem to me to be a precious rascal.
Dorothy [interposing]: Philip, you have not offered . . . Death a chair.
D. V. [waving the suggestion aside]: I should be sorry to cause any unnecessary unpleasantness.
Philip: It will take all your time to do that.
D. V.: But I am prepared to meet you in a reasonable spirit.
Philip: Our name is Reason. Mr. and Mrs. Philip Reason.
D. V.: Ha! Ha! Very good, very good, indeed! Now I thought perhaps an appeal to chance. . . .
Philip: You propose that we should toss for it?
D. V.: The—er—spin of a coin. . . .
Philip: We haven’t got one.
D. V. [producing half-a-crown]: I had foreseen the possibility.
Philip: Very well, we’ll toss you double or quits.
D. V.: I’m afraid I don’t quite understand.
Philip: You can have both of us or none; it’s simple enough.
D. V. [angrily]: You must see that what you suggest is quite impossible.
[ 10 ]
