ing dialogue is overheard:

_Time, 7.15 A.M. Scene, _Signor_ and _Madame's_ room. _Madame_ is up
and dressing rapidly. The _Signor_ is still under the bedclothes._

_Madame_ (_severely_). Mr. Regniati.

_The Signor_ (_pretending extra sleepiness_). My dear! (_He won't open
his eyes._)

_Madame._ It is exactly a quarter past seven.

_The Signor_ (_snuggling down into the pillow_). I vill not be two
me-neets. (_Disappears under bedclothes._)

_Madame_ (_before the looking-glass, with her head bent well forward,
her hands behind her back, lacing herself into determination_). Get up,
Mr. Regniati. (_No sign of life in the bed._) Don't pretend to have gone
to sleep again. (_Not a movement._) I know you haven't. I shan't wait
for you when I'm once dressed. It's twenty-five minutes. (_Sharply._) Do
you hear, Mr. Regniati?

_The Signor_ (_re-appearing as far as the tip of his nose. Both eyes
blinking_). My dear--oh! (_as if in sudden agony. Then plaintively_) I
'ave such a pain in my nose.

_Madame_ (_backhairing energetically_). Fiddlesticks.

_The Signor_ (_in an injured tone_). Oh! Vy you say zat? You know I do
sof-far from my nose--and my head ache all ...

_Madame_ (_coming to a dead stop in her toilette_). Mr. Regniati, you
eat and drink too much.

_The Signor_ (_as if horrified at lying under such an imputation, but
showing no disposition to rise with the occasion_). Oh! My Jo!
(_appealing to abstract justice in the bed-curtains._) Good-ness knows
(_he pronounces it 'Good-ness-knows'_) I eat no-sing at-all.

_Madame_ (_coming to the point_). Mr. Regniati, I can't finish my
dressing if you stop there.

_The Signor_ (_bestirring himself with as much dignity as is possible
under the circumstances_). I go. Vere is my leet-tel slip-pers?
(_Protesting_) I shall catch my dets of cold. (_He finds them._)

_Madame._ Now, Mr. Regniati, make haste, or we shall be late. (_Shuts
his dressing-room door on him._)

In about a quarter of an hour after this, the carriage is announced, and
the Signor is hurried down stairs.

_The Signor_ (_complaining_). Oh! I am so ongry. (_Procrastinating._) Ve
'ave time to take som-sing to eat, be-fore zat ve ...

_Madame_ (_cutting him short_). Nonsense, Mr. Regniati. If you wanted to
stuff, you should have got up earlier.

_Mr. Regniati._ Stoff! (_Protests._) My Jo! I do not stoff!
(_Unhappily._) I 'ave no-sing in ...

_Madame_ (_ascetically_). A little abstinence will