Fred. But you know I have not had my breakfast yet!
Sel. Breakfast! And he can think of feeding at a moment like this! Oh! buy a biscuit as you go along, or you can eat the directory if you like when you have found the owner of the hat! This delay is maddening. (Selwyn hustles Fred off again.)
Mrs. S. There is something the matter with Samuel, his manner’s so strange this morning!
Sel. Once more relieved!
Mrs. S. Samuel!
Sel. Bella!
Mrs. S. I want to speak to you about Gracie. She’s nearly nineteen, and we ought to be thinking about seeing her settled.
Sel. There’s no hurry—she’s too young!
Mrs. S. She’s older than I was when we were married; I was only seventeen.
Sel. It’s a most extraordinary fact that every woman with a tall daughter was married at seventeen, or says she was!