Come , Mildred dear , say “ Yes . ” You might help a fellow a bit . I never proposed to anybody before , and I daresay I 've done it very badly —— Say “ Yes , ” then . Of course , I 'm not good enough for a girl like you . But I may be some day . My brother Ned 's a confirmed bachelor , and it 's just on the cards I may be the next Earl of Normantower . Not fit to be a Countess ? Why , some of ‘ em are awful . Well , then , you sha n't be a Countess . A confirmed bachelor 's always the first to get married ; and if Ned has a family , I sha n't come in for the title . You would n't mind being Mrs. Verinder , would you ? Say “ Yes , ” then . Children ! I ? I was reading Hiawatha . It 's no use trying to deceive you , Miss Derwent . I 've been making love to Mildred . I want her to marry me and she wo n't ! She says my family 's too good for her — as if anything could be too good for Mildred ! I 'm sure the Verinders are poor enough . As for me , she forgets my father was cut off with a shilling , and blew 'd the lot ? Every penny of it . Oh , we 're a reckless lot , we Verinders ! PHILIP SELWYN enters C. from L ., he places his stick in stand L. of C. door , hat on small table up R. C ., and goes slowly down to fire-place , R . Because he married the girl he wanted ; instead of a girl he did n't want ; and his son 's going to do the same . It 's serious when you marry the wrong person , but I 'm going to marry the right one . You think so , Mr. Selwyn ? There , Miss Derwent ! What do you say to that ? Everybody thinks that , Mrs. Selwyn . Ned ! Ned always talks like that ; but he 's a very good brother to me , and always down with the dust , when he 's any dust to down with . He 's so brown , and he 's grown such a beard ! Ha , ha , ha ! Fancy Ned a legislator ! Lunch , at last ! Are n't I ready for it ? Only me , Mr. Selwyn . Oh , bother grammar ! Oh , we 're all right ; but , I say , Mr. Selwyn , I wish everybody would n't call us “ children . ” I do n't like it . I 'm turned sixteen . You tell him , Mildred ! } }MIL . No — you tell him , Tom ! } Are you quite well enough to stand a shock ? Electricity ! Mr. Selwyn , you make it jolly hard for a fellow to say what he wants to say — just when he wants a leg up . Oh , bother style ! Let me say what I mean . If you please — we want to get married . Now for it .Do n't run away — I wo n't ! I 'm sure we 're not too young — Mildred , this is no place for you . Leave me alone with Mr. Selwyn . I will control myself . I will not forget the respect that is due to the brother of my affianced wife . Wait for me — on the mat .Now , Mr. Selwyn , we are alone . We can discuss this matter as men of the world . May I ask why , sir ? Mr. Selwyn ! That is your ultimatum ? Good day , sir . Oh , Mrs. Selwyn , please do come to Mildred ! She 's in a fit , or something . Do come , please !The shock has been too much for her . Re-enter PHILIP quickly . Come along ! Could you die , Mildred ? Then let 's die together ! I do n't know . That 's the worst of me . I 'm so beastly ignorant . Is there ? Let 's go at once . We 'll have a look at it first . I do n't like the look of the pond . Oh , by the bye , I have n't told you what we 're going to do . Why , me and Mildred . Drown ourselves . At least we were going to drown ourselves , until we saw the pond . Now , we are going to think of something else . Ah ! You do n't know what it is , to love — and get the key of the street ! You 've got it , Ned ? I say , let 's drown one another ! You go first ! Sir Peter — the very man — I say , Sir Peter ! Are n't you a doctor ? A lot of things seem to have happened before I was born — and everybody takes care to let me know it . Then , tell me . What 's the pleasantest way of committing suicide ? Pompous old ass ! I do n't believe he knows . Re-enter MILDRED , R. U. D ., with an open book in her hand . What 's that you 've got ? Just what we wanted — let me have a look . But it 's not hers — it 's —— How dare you take that from Miss Selwyn ! Is it yours ? Force is not argument .