t to come?"

"Is it going to be very good?"

"Good? My dear Alice, we shall that night light such a candle as shall
never be put out. Electric light is doomed. The knell of acetylene
gas has sounded."

"You've only got a few lines, I suppose?"

I looked at her sorrowfully.

"Whose rug is she sitting on?" I said.

"Pomfret's."

"Pomfret is but the bailee of the rug, Alice."

"Oh," she cried, "he's going to be a barrister!"

"Talking of cats," I said stiffly, "and speaking as counsel of five
years' standing--"

I stopped, for she was on her feet now, facing me, and standing very
close, with her hands behind her and a tilted chin, looking into my
eyes.

"Talking of what, did you say?"

For a second I hesitated. Then:

"Gnats," I said.

She turned and resumed her place on the fallen tree. "Now you're going
on with your rehearsal," she announced. "I'll hear you."

"Will you read the cues?"

"Give me the book."

I showed her the point I had reached when she entered.

"You are the Queen," I said. "It's rather confusing, because I had
thought you were Alice; but it can't be helped. Besides, you came on
just before you did, really, and you've spoken twice before you opened
your small red mouth."

"Is that how it describes the Queen?" This suspiciously.

"I was really thinking of Alice, but--"

"But what?"

"The Queen has got a delicate, white throat. It says so."

"How can you tell? I've got a stock on."

"I said the Queen had. Besides, when you put your face up to mine just
now--"

"Hush! Besides, you were looking me in the eyes all the time, so--"

"And, if I was, do you blame me?"

"I'm not in the witness-box now, counsel."

"No, but you're sitting on Pomfret's rug, and Pomfret is but the--"

She began to laugh helplessly.

"Come along, Alice," I said. "'Yet so God made me. Now you say, 'Can
you be gentle, then?' and give me the glad eye.

"It only says 'archly' here, in brackets."

"Same thing," said I

"'Can you be gentle, then?'"

A pause. Then:

"Go on," she said.

"I'm waiting for my cue."

"I've said it--Hare."

"John or March?"

"March, of course. John is an actor."

"Thank you, Alice, dear. I repeat, I await my cue, the which you
incontinently withhold. Selah!"

She tried not to laugh.

"I've given it, you silly man."

"My dear, I come in on the eye. It's most important. You must give it
to me, because I've got to give it back to you in