WAYFARER THE FIRST.—“Oh!”
WAYFARER THE SECOND.—“Ha! the locks unbar!”
The door opened, and an old meagre woman-servant presented herself.
WAYFARER THE FIRST (gliding before the big man with a serpent’s undulating celerity of movement).—“Mrs. Crane lives here?”—“Yes!” “She’s at home I suppose?”—“Yes!”—“Take up my card; say I come alone, not with this gentleman.”
Wayfarer the Second seems to have been rather put out by the manner of his rival. He recedes a step.
“You know the lady of this mansion well, sir?” “Extremely well.”
“Ha! then I yield you the precedence; I yield it, sir, but conditionally. You will not be long?”
“Not a moment longer than I can help; the land will be clear for you in an hour or less.”
“Or less, so please you, let it be or less. Servant, sir.”
“Sir, yours: come, my Hebe, track the dancers; that is, go up the stairs, and let me renew the dreams of youth in the eyes of Bella!”