o-day for the first time.

_Mrs. H._ I rejoice to hear it.

_Pet._ He said that he was obliged to you for all; and before dinner
would crawl up to thank you.

_Mrs. H._ Good Peter, do me another service.

_Pet._ Ay, a hundred, if you'll only let me have a good long stare at
you.

_Mrs. H._ With all my heart! Observe when old Tobias comes, and send him
away. Tell him I am busy, or asleep, or unwell, or what you please.

_Pet._ I will, I will.

_Sol._ [_Without._] There, there, go to the post-office.

_Mrs. H._ Oh! here comes Mr. Solomon.

_Pet._ What! Father?--Ay, so there is. Father's a main clever man: he
knows what's going on all over the world.

_Mrs. H._ No wonder; for you know he receives as many letters as a prime
minister and all his secretaries.

_Enter SOLOMON._

_Sol._ Good morning, good morning to you, Mrs. Haller. It gives me
infinite pleasure to see you look so charmingly well. You have had the
goodness to send for your humble servant. Any news from the Great City?
There are very weighty matters in agitation. I have my letters too.

_Mrs. H._ [_Smiling._] I think, Mr. Solomon, you must correspond with
the four quarters of the globe.

_Sol._ Beg pardon, not with the whole world, Mrs. Haller: but
[_Consequentially._] to be sure I have correspondents, on whom I can
rely, in the chief cities of Europe, Asia, Africa, and America.

_Mrs. H._ And yet I have my doubts whether you know what is to happen
this very day at this very place.

_Sol._ At this very place! Nothing material. We meant to have sown a
little barley to-day, but the ground is too dry; and the sheep-shearing
is not to be till to-morrow.

_Pet._ No, nor the bull-baiting till--

_Sol._ Hold your tongue, blockhead! Get about your business.

_Pet._ Blockhead! There again! I suppose I'm not to open my mouth. [_To
MRS. HALLER._] Good bye! [_Exit._

_Mrs. H._ The Count will be here to-day.

_Sol._ How! What!

_Mrs. H._ With his lady, and his brother-in-law, Baron Steinfort.

_Sol._ My letters say nothing of this. You are laughing at your humble
servant.

_Mrs. H._ You know, sir, I'm not much given to jesting.

_Sol._ Peter!--Good lack-a-day!--His Right Honourable Excellency Count
Wintersen, and her Right Honourable Excellency the Countess Wintersen,
and his Honourable Lordship Baron Steinfort--And, Lord have mercy!
nothing in proper order!--Here, Peter! Peter!

_Enter PETE