Stella. (Fiercely.) I don’t like it.
Festus. No? Perhaps you prefer some other style of delivery.
(Reads with a drawl.)
“‘We awe thwe bwethwen-aw out of Spain, Come to court-aw your dawtaw Jane-aw.’”
Stella. Oh, do read something else!
Festus. Certainly.
“Hi diddle diddle! the cat and the fiddle! The cow jumped over the moon”—
Stella. (Jumps up.) Pray, sir, do you intend to read that nonsense the whole evening?
Festus. Oh, no! I think I can get through the book in about an hour.
Stella. Sir, you have forced yourself here, an unwelcome visitor: you insist upon my hearing such nonsense as Mother-Goose melodies for an hour. Do you call that gentlemanly?