y begin my sketch till to-morrow. I am going
now. I hope the genius of the place will inspire you.

_Culch._ Thank you. I trust it will--er--have that effect. (_To
himself, after the Young Lady has left the terrace._) Now, that's a
very superior girl--she has intellect, style, culture--everything the
ideal woman _should_ have. I wonder, now, whether, if I had met her
before--but such speculations are most unprofitable! How clear her
eyes looked through her _pince-nez_! Blue-grey, like Athene's own. If
I'd been with PODBURY, I should never have had this talk. The sight of
him would have repelled her at once. I shall tell him when I take him
that book that he had better go his own way with his new friends. I
shall spend most of to-morrow on this terrace.

SCENE--_The Conversations-Saal at the Wurtemburger-Hof.
Evening. PODBURY at the piano; BOB PRENDERGAST and his
sister HYPATIA seated near him._

_Podb._ (_chanting dolefully_)--

Now then, this party as what came from Fla-an-ders,
What had the com-plex-_i_-on rich and rare,
He went and took and caught the yeller ja-aun-ders--
And his complexion isn't what it were!

_Mr. and Miss Prendergast_ (_joining sympathetically in chorus_). And
his complexion _isn't_ what it _were_!

[_There is a faint knock at the door, and CULCHARD enters
with a volume under his arm. None of the three observes him,
and he stands and listens stiffly as PODBURY continues,--_

Well, next this party as what came from Fla-an-ders,
Whose complex-shun was formi-ally rare,
Eloped to Injia with ELIZA SA-AUN-DERS,
As lived close by in Canonbury Square.

_Culch._ (_advances to piano and touches PODBURY's arm with the air
of his better angel_). Er--I have brought you the philosophical work
I mentioned. I will leave it for an occasion when you are--er--in a
fitter frame of mind for its perusal.

_Podb._ Oh, beg pardon, didn't see you, old fellow. Awfully obliged;
jam it down anywhere, and (_whispering_) I say, I want to introduce
you to--

_Culch._ (_in a tone of emphatic disapproval_). You must really excuse
me, as I fear I should be scarcely a congenial spirit in such a party.
So good night--or, rather--er--good-bye. [_He withdraws._

_Miss Hypatia P._ (_just as C. is about to close the door_). Please
don't stop, Mr. PODBURY, that song is quite too deliciously inane!

[_CULCHARD turns as he hears the voice, and--too
late--recog