"We are here, sirs," continued Sir Benjamin, bowing his acknowledgments, "to sit unitedly in hem! in judgment upon the individual compositions of the—the——"
"Field!" suggested the Marquis.
"Gang?" murmured Alvaston.
"Amorous brotherhood!" sighed Sir Jasper.
"Company, gentlemen, of the company. Versification affords a broad field for achievement poetic since we have such various forms as the rondel, ballade, pantoum—"
"O burn me, Ben," ejaculated Alvaston, "you're out there! What's verses t' do with phantoms——"
"I said 'pantoum,' sir—besides which, gentlemen, we have the triolet, the kyrielle, the virelai, the vilanelle——"
"O dem!" cried the Marquis, "sounds curst improper and villainous, too, Ben." Cries of "Order, Ben, order——"
"And likewise O!" added Lord Alvaston.
"Eh?" exclaimed Sir Benjamin, "I say what——"