There. That seems to me worth a good deal more money than all the modern 'delineation of character', and 'folk' nonsense ever written. What verve! What terseness! And yet how clear!
LECTOR. Let us be getting on.
AUCTOR. By all means, and let us consider more enduring things.
After a few miles the road going upwards, I passed through another gap in the hills and--
LECTOR. Pardon me, but I am still ruminating upon that little tragedy of yours. Why was the guardian a duchess?
AUCTOR. Well, it was a short play and modern, was it not?
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THE ACOLYTE OF RHEIMS
LECTOR. Yes. And therefore, of course, you must have a title in it. I know that. I do not object to it. What I want to know is, why a duchess?