very tender. He began to think
himself exceeding good and wise. He was learning to appreciate a
new feature in human nature, something which had its element of
unpleasantness if not rightly seen and understood, but, being so seen
and understood, a very beautiful and tender thing indeed. There was a
sacred shyness in his thoughts, but overriding this a triumphant tender
understanding of the humours of the situation which tickled him most
delicately. It would be easy to be patient now that he understood so
well, and he resolved upon patience comfortably.

He sat so absorbed in his own fancies and feelings that he was unaware
of the rumble of a carriage and the 'clicking of horses' hoofs over the
cobbles of the _place_, but he knew of these things a moment later when
the broad-beamed Evariste rapped at his study-door, and announced two
gentlemen to see him. Straight upon her heels came Darco in a silk hat
of splendid lustre, and a nobly frogged overcoat with costly astrachan
at cuffs and collar, as though, instead of being the sweltering day
it was, it had been mid-winter. Behind him came Pauer, in tweeds and a
white waistcoat, his face gold colour with his ancient jaundice, and
his eyes a pale saffron. They were both in the best of good humours, and
Darco stood on tiptoe to take Paul by the shoulders.

'Ve have done id!' he cried in a voice of triumph. 'Ve have done id this
time, ant no mistake!'

'What have you done?' asked Paul.

'Vot have we done, Pauer--eh? Vot haf we done?' cried Darco. 'Tell him
and have done with it,' said Pauer.

'Ve have bought the Goncreve,' said Darco, with a glowing air of
triumph.

'Bought the what?' asked Paul.

'The Congreve Theatre,' Pauer explained.

'Ah!'said Paul.

'That is vot I am zayink,' cried Darco. 'Ve haf bought the Goncreve. It
is in the handts of the decorators now. Ve shall oben in the first week
of Sebtemper, ant ve are coing for the gloves. Ve are coing to oben with
a gomedy. Do you hear? A gomedy. Ant you ant I are coing to write that
gomedy. Do you understandt?' He slipped out of his overcoat, and threw
it into the arm-chair in the corner. Then he banged the lustrous hat
upon the table, and snatching up a pen, thrust it into Paul's hand. 'Ve
are coing to wride that gomedy, ant ve are coing to begin at vonce--eh?'

'Why, certainly,' said Paul. 'Have you got an idea to work on?'

'My poy,' said Darco, 'I am primming with iteas. I am itching all ofer
with iteas