Happy Thought Hall Part 25

Well, that depends. Are _you_?

c.o.x.

Well--(_shrugging his shoulders and stretching out his hands_).

BOX.

Ah! (_imitates action_) That's exactly my case.

c.o.x.

It's time for me to go out and take the waters. You've taken mine for me.

BOX.

If you don't feel any better after it than I do--What's the effect of the waters?

c.o.x (_aside_).

I'll frighten him. (_Aloud_) If you're unaccustomed to them--poisonous.

BOX.

Good gracious! The first draught then is--

c.o.x.

Fatal. Deadly.

BOX.

Then you don't have much chance of getting accustomed to it. You look very well.

c.o.x.

Yes. I could have taken that gla.s.s with impunity. It was my eighteenth tumbler.

BOX.

Then I'm safe. I began with the eighteenth. Aha! I shall smoke a cigar and read the paper.

c.o.x (_aside_).

The paper!

BOX.

Don't stop for me. (_Aside_) I wonder if he's seen the news.

c.o.x (_aside_).

He mustn't know she's here. He's got it. (_Seeing BOX reading the paper._) Would you allow me to look at the paper?

BOX.

There's nothing in it.

c.o.x (_coming up to table and putting his hand suddenly down on it_).

Sir!

BOX (_taking no notice_).

Come in.

c.o.x.

No, sir, I shall not come in. I'm going to come out, sir, and come out pretty strongly too. (_Suddenly pathetic_) Box, my boy--

BOX (_the same_).

c.o.x, my boy. (_Turns and allows the smoke of his pipe to come under c.o.x'S nose just as c.o.x is attempting to take the paper._)

c.o.x (_sneezing_).

Excuse my emotion (_sneezes_).

BOX.

It does honour to your head and heart--specially to your head. (_Offers his pocket-handkerchief._)

c.o.x.

Thank you. I can't forget that we were once brothers.

BOX.

We were.

c.o.x.

We had no secrets from each other. At least you had none from me, had you?

BOX.

No, not unless you had any from me.

c.o.x.