The Noble Lord | Page 3

in such a way! . . . (She pauses.)
It's natural that I should want to know something about the man who
saved me from that. . . .
HE. (With embarrassment) I don't like to talk about myself----
SHE. (Interrupting encouragingly) You're still a young man, aren't
you?
HE. Thirty-one.
SHE. (Laying her hand on his) Are you?
HE. (Nodding) Last November.
SHE. (Lying with the insouciance of expertness) I'm just twenty. (He
nods his head, without showing the least sign of disbelief.) Eleven years
between us.
HE. Just the right ages, aren't we?
SHE. (Leaving her hand where it is) Do you think so?
HE. Eleven years difference--ideal!
SHE. Ten and a half.
HE. Eh?
SHE. I was born in June.
HE. Oh, were you? (Sagely.) That's better yet.
SHE. Do you think so--Lord Brookfield?
HE. (Surprised--or simulating it effectively.) Eh?
SHE. Lord Brookfield?

HE. How on earth did you know it?
SHE. (With a laugh) Oh, I am not so stupid as all that!
HE. You recognized me?
SHE. No. I have never seen you.
HE. A photo?
SHE. No.
HE. Then how did you know? . . .
SHE. (Interrupting) Lord Brookfield is a well-known man. The papers
said he was coming to the hotel. I knew every other guest----
HE. But three or four others arrived this morning.
SHE. Americans.
HE. Oh!
SHE. You are English. I could see that right away.
HE. (After a pause) How clever of you!
SHE. Oh, Lord Brookfield!
HE. And how curious that I should meet you in this way--informal, so
to speak.
SHE. (Laughing) Odd, wasn't it? (She rises.) Ugh!--how my clothes are
sticking to me!
HE. That's so. You had better change.
SHE. And you?

HE. I'm rather wet myself.
SHE. Will you take me back to the hotel?
HE. The sun is very hot here.
SHE. (Instantly changing) Oh, would you rather stay?
HE. (Does not answer for a few seconds. Then, a little abruptly) Tell
me: can you swim?
SHE. (Startled) Eh?
HE. Can you swim?
SHE. Lord Brookfield! Of course I can't!
HE. That's curious.
SHE. Curious?
HE. Neither can I.
SHE. (Staggered, but returning to the attack with magnificent
self-possession) Oh, but you swam splendidly! Clothes and all! All the
way from the other side of the lake!
HE. Did I?
SHE. Of course you did! One plunge, and a few magnificent overhand
strokes. . . . (She notices his peculiar expression, and hesitates.)
HE. (Thoughtfully) Plunge?
SHE. Why, certainly.
HE. (Shaking his head) I would have sworn I waded.
SHE. (Laughing uneasily) You are really too modest, Lord Brookfield.

HE. Let's see. (He picks up his coat, and shakes it out.) Of course, I
might have swum, but--Ah! the water line comes only as far as the
waist!
SHE. That means nothing.
HE. No? (Feeling his head.) If I had plunged, my hair would have been
wet.
SHE. It dried in the sun.
HE. Ah, yes! But my cigarettes! (Taking one from the case.)
SHE. The case is waterproof.
HE. Still, the matches are wet. (Producing the box from his trouser
pocket, and trying to strike one.) You see?
SHE. (With a forced laugh) Lord Brookfield, don't deny that you saved
my life!
HE. That is what I am trying to do.
SHE. (Frigidly) I beg your pardon?
HE. I jumped in without thinking. It was the natural thing to do: I heard
you scream for help. But the moment the water came to my waist I
knew that if it went any deeper I should have to call for help also.
SHE. Well?
HE. I was spared that humiliation: the pond isn't over three feet deep in
any place. And I waded the whole twenty feet from one end to the
other. . . . And I can't swim.
SHE. But I was drowning! Drowning!
HE. (Politely) Are you in the habit of drowning often?

SHE. (Rising indignantly) Lord Brookfield!
HE. I nearly forgot to mention----
SHE. What?
HE. That I saw you jump in.
SHE. Oh!
HE. It was pleasant while it lasted, wasn't it? And romantic! Why,
romantic doesn't begin to describe it! (Imitating) "Mother, kiss me!"
SHE. Oh, how can you?
HE. Unconscious--helpless--and you didn't remember! Not even the
shoes. That was clever--very clever! And the hands trying to pull you
down to the bottom: that was the touch of genius! (He pauses with a
smile.) Ah, well, I was willing to have a little fun. (A man is heard
whistling a popular song in the distance. He listens attentively.)
SHE. (After a pause) You played with me--played with me. Oh, you're
disgusting! Revolting! What a thing for a man to do! I thought---- (She
breaks off.)
HE. (Encouraging her to continue) Yes?
SHE. Nothing. . . . (Then, seeing no reason