_Dolly._ Don't take any notice of him, Mr. Pilcher, he's the most cynical, hardened reprobate! I have to blush for him a hundred times a day.
[RENIE _strolls casually into conservatory by lower door._ LUCAS _casually follows her._
_Matt._ And in order to settle once and for all this vexed question of free will and moral responsibility, I'll bet you, Harry, a simple fiver, and I'll bet you Dolly, a new Parisian hat, and half a dozen pairs of gloves that you won't live up to your good resolutions, and that on next New Year's Day you'll neither of you be one ha'penny the better for all the wise counsels Mr. Pilcher gave you last night.
_Dolly._ I'll take you, too! In fact, I'll double it; two new Parisian hats, and a dozen pairs of gloves!
_Pilcher._ I hope I sha'n't be accused of talking shop if I venture to recall that betting was one of the bad habits I especially warned my congregation against, last night!
_Harry._ By Jove, yes--I'd forgotten all about that! Of course, if you wish us to cry off----
_Pilcher._ Well, not exactly. I might perhaps suggest an alternative plan which was tried with great success in my late parish----
_Pilcher._ A very capital good fellow--an auctioneer and land surveyor, my churchwarden in fact, by name Jobling--found that in spite of constant good resolutions, certain small vices were gradually creeping upon him. There was an occasional outburst of temper to his clerks, an occasional half glass too much; and on one lamentable market day, he actually discovered himself using bad language to Mrs. Jobling----
_Matt._ Jobling's gray matter can't have been in good working order.
_Pilcher._ We corrected that! We got his gray matter under control.
_Pilcher._ My Christmas Blanket Club happened to be on the road to bankruptcy. By the way, our Blanket Club here is in low water. Well, I gave Jobling a small box with a hole at the top sufficiently large to admit half a crown. And I suggested that whenever he was betrayed into one of these little slips, he should fine himself for the benefit of my Blanket Club----
_Harry._ Good business! Dolly, where's that collecting-box they sent us from the Hospital for Incurables?
_Dolly._ In the cupboard in the next room.
