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attention to what women ask them。
CHLOE。 ＇With a flash of spirit＇ I'm fond of my husband。 I
MRS。 H。 ＇Looking at her steadily＇ I don't quite know why you spoke
to me。
CHLOE。 ＇With a sort of pathetic sullenness＇ I only thought perhaps
you'd like to treat me as a human being。
MRS。 H。 Really； if you don't mind； I should like to be left alone
just now。
CHLOE。 ＇Unhappily acquiescent＇ Certainly！ I'll go to the other
end。
＇She moves to the Left； mounts the steps and sits down。＇
＇ROLF； looking in through the door； and seeing where she is；
joins her。 MRS。 HILLCRIST resettles herself a little further
in on the Right。＇
ROLF。 ＇Bending over to CHLOE； after a glance at MRS。 HILLCRIST。＇
Are you all right？
CHLOE。 It's awfully hot。
＇She fans herself wide the particulars of sale。＇
ROLF。 There's Dawker。 I hate that chap！
CHLOE。 Where？
ROLF。 Down there； see？
＇He points down to stage Right of the room。＇
CHLOE。 ＇Drawing back in her seat with a little gasp＇ Oh！
ROLF。 ＇Not noticing＇ Who's that next him； looking up here？
CHLOE。 I don't know。
＇She has raised her auction programme suddenly； and sits
fanning herself； carefully screening her face。＇
ROLE。 ＇Looking at her＇ Don't you feel well？ Shall I get you some
water？ ＇He gets up at her nod。＇
＇As he reaches the door； HILLCRIST and JILL come in。 HILLCRIST
passes him abstractedly with a nod； and sits down beside his
wife。＇
JILL。 ＇To ROLF＇ Come to see us turned out？
ROLF。 ＇Emphatically＇ No。 I'm looking after Chloe； she's not well。
JILL。 ＇Glancing at her＇ Sorry。 She needn't have come； I suppose？
＇RALF deigns no answer； and goes out。＇
＇JILL glances at CHLOE； then at her parents talking in low
voices； and sits down next her father； who makes room for her。＇
MRS。 H。 Can Dawker see you there； Jack？
＇HILLCRIST nods。＇
What's the time？
HILLCRIST。 Three minutes to three。
JILL。 Don't you feel beastly all down the backs of your legs。
Dodo？
HILLCRIST。 Yes。
JILL。 Do you； mother？
MRS。 H。 No。
JILL。 A wagon of old Hornblower's pots passed while we were in the
yard。 It's an omen。
MRS。 H。 Don't be foolish； Jill。
JILL。 Look at the old brute！ Dodo； hold my hand。
MRS。 H。 Make sure you've got a handkerchief； Jack。
HILLCRIST。 I can't go beyond the six thousand； I shall have to
raise every penny on mortgage as it is。 The estate simply won't
stand more； Amy。
＇He feels in his breast pocket； and pulls up the edge of his
handkerchief。＇
JILL。 Oh！ Look！ There's Miss Mullins； at the back； just come in。
Isn't she a spidery old chip？
MRS。 H。 Come to gloat。 Really； I think her not accepting your
offer is disgusting。 Her impartiality is all humbug。
HILLCRIST。 Can't blame her for getting what she canit's human
nature。 Phew！ I used to feel like this before a 'viva voce'。
Who's that next to Dawker？
JILL。 What a fish！
MRS。 H。 ＇To herself＇ Ah！ yes。
＇Her eyes slide round at CHLOE； silting motionless and rather
sunk in her seat； slowly fanning herself with they particulars
of the sale。 Jack； go and offer her my smelling salts。＇
HILLCRIST。 ＇Taking the salts＇ Thank God for a human touch！
MRS。 H。 ＇Taken aback＇ Oh！
JILL。 ＇With a quick look at her mother； snatching the salts＇ I
will。 ＇She goes over to CHLOE with the salts＇ Have a sniff； you
look awfully white。
CHLOE。 ＇Looking up； startled＇ Oh！ no thanks。 I'm all right。
JILL。 No； do！ You must。 ＇CHLOE takes them。＇
JILL。 D'you mind letting me see that a minute？
＇She takes the particulars of the sale and studies it； but
CHLOE has buried the lower part of her face in her hand and the
smelling salts bottle。＇
Beastly hot； isn't it？ You'd better keep that。
CHLOE。 ＇Her dark eyes wandering and uneasy＇ Rolf's getting me some
water。
JILL。 Why do you stay？ You didn't want to come； did you？
＇CHLOE shakes her head。＇
All right！ Here's your water。
＇She hands back the particulars and slides over to her seat；
passing ROLF in the gangway； with her chin well up。＇
＇MRS。 HILLCRIST； who has watched CHLOE and JILL and DAWKER； and
his friend； makes an enquiring movement with her hand； but gets
a disappointing answer。＇
JILL。 What's the time； Dodo？
HILLCRIST。 ＇Looking at his watch＇ Three minutes past。
JILL。 ＇Sighing＇ Oh； hell！
HILLCRIST。 Jill！
JILL。 Sorry； Dodo。 I was only thinking。 Look！ Here he is！
Phew！isn't he？
MRS。 H。 'Sh！
The AUCTIONEER comes in Left and goes to the table。 He is a
square； short； brown…faced； common looking man； with clipped
grey hair fitting him like a cap； and a clipped grey moustache。
His lids come down over his quick eyes； till he can see you
very sharply； and you can hardly see that he can see you。 He
can break into a smile at any moment； which has no connection
with him； as it were。 By a certain hurt look； however； when
bidding is slow； he discloses that he is not merely an
auctioneer； but has in him elements of the human being。 He can
wink with anyone； and is dressed in a snug…brown suit； with a
perfectly unbuttoned waistcoat； a low； turned down collar； and
small black and white sailor knot tie。 While he is settling
his papers； the HILLCRISTS settle themselves tensely。 CHLOE
has drunk her water and leaned back again； with the smelling
salts to her nose。 ROLF leans forward in the seat beside her；
looking sideways at JILL。 A SOLICITOR； with a grey beard； has
joined the AUCTIONEER； at his table。
AUCTIONEER。 ＇Tapping the table＇ Sorry to disappoint you；
gentlemen； but I've only one property to offer you to…day； No。 1；
The Centry； Deepwater。 The second on the particulars has been
withdrawn。 The third that's Bidcot； desirable freehold mansion and
farmlands in the Parish of Kenwaywe shall have to deal with next
week。 I shall be happy to sell it you then with out reservation。
＇He looks again through the particulars in his hand； giving the
audience time to readjust themselves to his statements＇ Now；
gen'lemen； as I say； I've only the one property to sell。 Freehold
No。 1all that very desirable corn and stock…rearing and parklike
residential land known as the Centry； Deepwater； unique property an
A。1。 chance to an A。1。 audience。 ＇With his smile＇ Ought to make
the price of the three we thought we had。 Now you won't mind
listening to the conditions of sale； Mr。 Blinkard'll read 'em； and
they won't wirry you； they're very short。
＇He sits down and gives two little tape on the table。＇
＇The SOLICITOR rises and reads the conditions of sale in a
voice which no one practically can hear。 Just as he begins to
read these conditions of sale； CHARLES HORNBLOWER enters at
back。 He stands a moment； glancing round at the HILLCRIST and
twirling his moustache； then moves along to his wife and
touches her。＇
CHARLES。 Chloe； aren't you well？
＇In the start which she gives； her face is fully