Mr. W. I thought, perhaps, your aunt, finding me too much for herself, might have determined to float me into a company, and had put you on to promote me. All right. Go on, Ferdinand.
(Business with cigar. Mr. Watmuff is about to light it, when Mrs. Watmuff speaks outside. He burns his mouth, etc., ad lib.)
Fer. Well, I've made an important discovery.
Mr. W. Bravo, Ferdinand!
Walter. An inventor? Sir, I congratulate you.
Fer. Well, perhaps I ought to say that I've made an important discovery that another fellow has made an important discovery. All the States are wild about it; and, as he was an intimate friend of mine, and always said he would like to do me a good turn, I, without bothering him about it, noted down the particulars and came over to England to introduce it as my discovery.
Walter. How will he like that?
Fer. Probably not at all. But inventors and discoverers are proverbially discontented and disappointed men, and he mustn't fight with destiny.
Mr. W. But what is it?
Fer. Frost.