"Where did you get this box?"
To this, affecting modest reserve and diffidence, he made no answer, but turned away his head.
"You've stolen it!" continued Pantaloon.
This the injured Clown strongly denied upon his honour, with many bows and slides, and averred it was a gift.
"Given to you!" cried the Pantaloon: "and pray, who gave it to you?"
In answer to this, he pointed significantly to the box whither Sir Godfrey had retired, and the merriment which this occasioned was great indeed. The Duke, to whom, as he discovered afterwards, the box belonged, was convulsed with laughter; nor were the gentlemen with him less merry, while the audience, either suspecting that some joke was afloat, or being amused at the scene, joined in the hearty laughter emanating from the royal box.
"Where are you going to take the box?" asked Pantaloon, as he turned to go off.
"Where it has often been before," cried Grimaldi, pointing upwards: "to my uncle's!" And so saying, he ran off the stage amid a fresh burst of merriment.
Sir Godfrey was with him in two minutes. Whether he thought the box was really in danger of being so disposed of, is uncertain, but he popped round behind the scenes as quickly as possible.
"Capital, Grimaldi!" he cried, still laughing; "you have won me a wager—so ought to go snacks in it;" and he slipped five guineas into his hand.