Читать книгу Three Plays онлайн

25 страница из 62

ALICE. Oh, I’m sure he does. But I suppose he’s gone to his office. Oh no, he hasn’t, because there’s his hat.

BENHAM (scandalised). His hat? Has he only got one hat?

ALICE. Only one that he wears. What the papers call the “Broxopp hat.”

BENHAM (to Heaven). If anybody had told me a year ago that I should take service in a house where we only wore one hat—but there! God moves in a mysterious way, His wonders to perform.

ALICE. Oh, but it isn’t as if Mr.Broxopp was just an ordinary gentleman. You mustn’t think that, Mr.Benham.

BENHAM. You all make too much of your Mr.Broxopp, my girl. After all, who is he? What’s his family?

ALICE. Well, there’s only Mr.Jack, of course.

BENHAM (contemptuously). Mr.Jack isn’t “family,” my girl. Mr.Jack is “hissue.” Not but what Mr.Jack is very well in his way. Eton and Oxford—I’ve nothing to say against that, though I happen to be ssss1Cambridge myself. But who’s the family? Broxopp! There isn’t such a family.

ALICE. Well, but I’m sure he’s very rich, Mr.Benham.