Laughter and voices off L. as curtain rises, till
Christie gets to window, then a Voice.

{Voice.} There's Christie! _(she shuts window)_ Ah,
we're not good enough for Christie! _(murmurs from
All)_

_(Christiana enters up stage, door L., There is the
distant sound of rough laughter. She looks out
of L. C.)_

{Chris.} What a lot of animals! Ugh! How
awful common people look when they're clean, _(comes
down C.)_

_(Izod's head appears in doorway L.)_

{Izod.} Christie!

{Chris.} _(turning sharply)_ Hallo!

{Izod.} _(entering)_ What's wrong with the Squire?

{Chris.} _(R. C.)_ Ill, she says. Hush! _(pointing,
to door R.)_ She's in there. What do you want, dear?

{Izod.} _(C.)_ Coin, _(falls back up R. C., as Gunnion
enters door L., much perturbed. He is attired in his
grandest, wearing a large rosette of coloured ribbons)_

{Gun.} Where's Squire? that's what I want to
know!

{Chris.} Hush! she's in her room. What's the
matter?

{Gun.} _(sitting on stool C., wiping his forehead)_
Hunpunctuality's the matter--a lot of 'em's not come
yet. The fiddle ain't come; the _Mercury_ ain't come.
I don't give 'em a single sentiment till _Mercury's_
here to take me down.

{Izod.} You want somebody here to take you down.

{Gun.} Fell the grocer's not come. If he 'adn't
been harsked he'd have 'owled. Now he have been
harsked, he's for marching in late like a prince,
_(rising)_ I'm the master of the ceremonies, I am
--take care he don't find hisself heaved out.

{Chris.} You're quite right, Gunnion; act up to
your ribbons.

{Gun.} _(going to door L.)_ Ay, that I'll do. The
Squire's made me what I am this blessed day. I'm
Squire's representative, I am, and they'll find me
darned unpleasant. _(He goes off L., muttering.)_
John Parsley ain't come; old Buckle ain't come;
Mouldy Green ain't come.

_(Izod comes down R., C.)_

{Chris.} _(R. to Izod)_ Go away, Izod, and keep
quiet till you're wanted.

{Izod.} _(down R., C.)_ I tell you I want coin,
_(sniffing)_ I've got such an awful cold through
lying under those ricks in the mist. I want coin.

{Chris.} I haven't any.

{Izod.} Then I don't open my mouth to the parson
about what I saw last night. I tell you I want