“There’s dot bady bed dicer-looking that Bister Tobby and Biss Oblett,” said she, flourishing her mop in Miss Omlett’s face.
Whereat, although the remark was a serious one, and not meant to be facetious, the audience was convulsed.
The second scene was in full swing: Miss Omlett and the funny, meek old gentleman were taking refuge behind two sofas from the threatened violence of Mr Bumblebee and Miss Acidrop; the low comedian was having a kick-up all round, and the maid-of-all-work was putting her pail on the head of one of the walking gentlemen with the comment—
“Dow, thed, there’s goidg to be a dice doise—”
When the door of the room once more opened, and Railsford entered unobserved in the darkness. He had not come to see the performance, although he knew it was about to be held, and had indeed allowed the use of the class-room for the purpose.
But feeling very dejected in the presence of the cloud which had suddenly fallen on him, he had been unable to work that evening, and had decided to pay a visit of condolence to his young kinsman and the baronet, partly in the hope of edifying them by a little quiet talk by the sick bedside, and partly to satisfy himself that no very alarming symptoms had resulted from last night’s severe exposure.
Picture his astonishment when he found the two beds in the dormitory empty, and the invalids flown!
He made inquiries of the dame. She had taken them up two eggs a-piece and some tea and hot buttered toast at six o’clock, which they had partaken of, and then, informing her that they felt no better, they had disposed themselves, as she supposed, to sleep.
He looked into their study. They were not there; nor had anyone heard of them in the preparation room. Finally, he peeped into the Fourth class-room, and beheld the two invalids masquerading on the stage, and recognised the voice and sentiments of his kinsman, albeit proceeding through the nose, as he flourished his (or rather her) mop in the air, and announced that there was going to be a “dice doise.”
The whole scene was so ridiculous that Railsford deemed it prudent not to discover himself, and withdrew as unobserved as he had entered.