Rupert. Is he good?
Leila. My dear, absolutely marvellous! You know, my dear—strong silent. In fact, I think I like him better than John Gilbert now.
Rupert. John Gilbert who?
Raglan. Oh, do you like John Gilbert?
Leila, Oh—rather. I think he’s terribly good.
Raglan. Yes—he is good. Not as good as Ronald Colman, though.
(Rupert is looking sardonically at each speaker in turn.
Leila. Oh—don’t you think so? Did you see him in “The Merry Widow”?
Raglan. Yes, he was good in that. Of course, he had a moustache in that, didn’t he?
Rupert. I expect that improved him, didn’t it?
Leila. But then John Gilbert always had a moustache, didn’t he?
Raglan. Oh no. Rather not. I’ve seen him in thousands of ones without. All the early ones.
Rupert (despairingly) The early ones!
Leila. By the way, did you see Ronald Colman in that thing with Vilma Banky? I’ve forgotten what it was called—the Wonderful Something—or something—you know—it was all sort of—you know. . . .
Rupert. I, for one, at the moment of speaking, do not.
Raglan. Yes, I know what you mean. The Wonderful—I’ve forgotten what—it was jolly good, wasn’t it? What do you think of her—Vilma Banky?
Leila (disparagingly). Oh—I don’t know. . . . Like all these, you know.
Raglan. Oh—I think she’s rather good.
Rupert. I once went to the pictures and saw Mary Pickford.
Raglan. Oh—how did you like her?
[ 35 ]
