to make special use of my property for the
next few days. You will have to be in constant attendance. You ought to
enjoy the prospect, and the reality when it comes."

"I do; I shall: bet your boots on that. O confound it, I've got my lines
mixed already."

"Rather. If you startle the audience with such a speech as that, what
will Mr. Hartman think? You must put on your prettiest behavior, Bob.
Make a desperate effort, and try to keep it up--for my sake, now."

"For your sake I can be Bayard and Crichton and Brummell and all those
dudes rolled into one. I'll order some new clothes when I go down. And
you will have to be very gracious to me, you know."

"Am I not gracious enough now, pet? How is this for a rehearsal?"

"Beyond my wildest dreams, Empress. When you treat me thus for an hour,
I can bear your ill usage for a year."

"There will be no ill usage at present, if you behave. Now don't forget,
and spoil the play. Understand, you are to pair off with me, as Mr.
Hartman with Jane. Mabel is mostly occupied with the children; we will
all look after her, of course. And there will be mixing and change of
partners, but not much. You must watch, and obey my slightest hint--the
turn of an eyelid, the flutter of a fan. I'll teach you all that."

"I know a lot of it already: when it comes to watching you, I am a
dabster. I'll behave as if I was at school to Plato and Confucius, and
in training to succeed them both. Do you know, Princess, if you were to
treat a stranger for half a day as you are treating me now, he would
want to die for you?"

"He might die for want of me before the day was over, if he grew
lackadaisical over his wants. All men are not so chivalrous as you, my
poor Robert. You may have to do that sort of dying before long. You must
be ready to be dropped when the time comes to change the figures. No
growling or moping, mind: you must submit sweetly, and take your place
in the background with Jane, while the rest of the play goes on."

"I know: I've been there before. I can find consolation in seeing you
carry the leading part. One set of men passes away, and another set
comes on; but the Princess goes on conquering, regardless of the moans
of her victims as they writhe on the bloody battlefield. O, I'm used to
being shoved aside, and feeding on my woes in silent patience. The
flowret fades when day is done, and so does every mother's son Who
thinks his course is just begun, And knows not that his rac