Part 28 (2/2)

AUNT IDA. I'll _have_ to have something to eat. I have had nothing since morning. I couldn't eat a bite at the dinner and I feel so gone and faint.

CELIA. Well, if you're feeling faint, dear, take a drink of that brandy. That'll do you good.

AUNT IDA. Oh, no. I'm not addicted to the use of those things.

CELIA. But, if you're faint, you need it. (_Into the telephone_) h.e.l.lo! h.e.l.lo! Is that you, Wilson?

AUNT IDA. But I do feel very faint.

CELIA. Just a minute, Wilson. (_Puts down receiver and runs across to brandy bottle, picks up bottle and pours it into whiskey and soda gla.s.s, while she talks excitedly. She pours the gla.s.s half full_.) Now, please, dear. Don't be ridiculous at a time like this. You might have one of your dreadful fainting spells in the motor, and I shouldn't know what to do for you. Now, come, come, dear, drink this.

(_Rushes to the back of_ AUNT IDA'S _chair and holds the gla.s.s while she drinks_. AUNT IDA _drains the gla.s.s, making a wry face and shuddering_. CELIA _hurriedly puts down gla.s.s and flies back to telephone_.)

AUNT IDA. If only it doesn't go to my head!

CELIA. Oh, it won't, it won't. (_Into telephone_) h.e.l.lo, Wilson, are you there? Well, listen, this is Miss Faraday. Yes, yes, Miss Celia.

I've got to get away to-night on the midnight train. It's most important and will you look up at once what connections that train makes for Southampton--yes, Southampton. Also please wire Bletchley, and have a compartment reserved for me. What? It will take you ten minutes? Please hurry. There is so little time to spare. (_Replaces receiver_.) Now we must get the motor. (_Springs up from chair and goes up to bell-push_ L. _of_ C. _door, rings bell, runs down to_ R.

_of_ AUNT IDA _and picks up the tongs from floor_.) How do you feel now, Aunt Ida? How do you feel now?

AUNT IDA. Oh, I feel all right.

(_Enter_ MARTIN R.I. _He stands_.)

MARTIN. Yes, Miss.

CELIA. (_Holding tongs_) Oh, Martin, I want you to jump upstairs----

MARTIN. (_In open amazement_) _Jump_, Miss?

CELIA. I said, ”Jump” and tell Kent to give you two motor coats and any other kind of a wrap she can find, two motor bonnets, some veils and furs and some pins and my motor bag and--two toothbrushes. We are going for a drive.

MARTIN. A _drive_, Miss?

CELIA. (_Irritated_) I said _a drive_. Will you hurry, please?

(_READY Telephone_.)

MARTIN. Very good, Miss. (_Exit_ R.I.)

AUNT IDA. We can't have the motor. We couldn't have it to go to the Admiral's. It's broken.

CELIA. (_Putting tongs in the winged armchair_) It wouldn't be a motor if it wasn't. Now what will we do? Oh, I'll get Jimmie Raleigh and he'll come back and take us down in his. (_Goes to phone_.) h.e.l.lo!

h.e.l.lo! I wonder what the--(AUNT IDA _squeals_)--telephone number is.

Oh, Aunt Ida, please do be quiet. You know you will make me nervous in a minute.

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