PETER. Ah, but who lays out my linen? Who puts flowers on my desk every
day? Who gets up at dawn to eat breakfast with me? Who sees that I have my
second cup of coffee? But better than all that--who brings youth into my
old house?

CATHERINE. That's not much--youth.

PETER. No? We'll leave it to Fritz. [FREDERIK, _amused, listens in
silence._] What should I be now--a rough old fellow--a bachelor--without
youth in my house, eh? God knows! Katie has softened me towards all the
ladies--er--mellowed me as time has mellowed my old pictures. [_Points to
pictures._] And I was growing hard--hard and fussy.

CATHERINE. [_Laughing._] Ah, Uncle Peter, have I made you take a liking to
all the rest of the ladies?

PETER. Yes. It's just as it is when you have a pet: you like all that
breed. You can only see _your_ kind of kitten.

JAMES. [_Coming down a step, impressed by_ PETER'S _remark--speaking
earnestly._] That's so, sir. [_The others are surprised._] I hadn't
thought of it in that way, but it's true. You study a girl for the first
time, and presently you notice the same little traits in every one of
them. It makes you feel differently towards all the rest.

PETER. [_Amused._] Why, James, what do you know about girls? "Bachelor" is
stamped all over you--you're positively labelled.

JAMES. [_Good-naturedly._] Perhaps. [_Goes back to the office._