"Oh, he's cool enough," grumbled Raridan.
"You see what envy will do for a man," remarked Saxton to Miss Marshall. "Mr. Raridan's simply perishing because he isn't there himself. But what's this?"
The king had reached his throne and faced the audience. All the knights bowed low; the king returned the salutation while the audience cheered.
"It's like a comic opera," said Miss Marshall.
The supreme knight advanced and handed Wheaton the scepter and there was renewed applause and cheering.
"Only funnier," said Raridan. "Yell, Saxton, yell!" He rose to his feet and led his end of the house in cheering. "It makes me think of old times at football," he declared, sinking back into his chair with an air of exhaustion, and wiping his face.
The king had seated himself, and expectancy again possessed the hall. The band struck up another air, and a line of girls in filmy, trailing gowns was filing in.
"There are the foolish virgins who didn't fill their lamps," said Raridan; "that's why they have brought bouquets."
"But they ought to have got their gowns at the same place," said Miss Marshall, who was abetting Raridan in his comments. Miss Warren and Saxton, on the other side of her, were taking it all more seriously.