that book that he had better go his own way with his new friends. I
shall spend most of to-morrow on this terrace.

SCENE--_The Conversations-Saal at the Wurtemburger-Hof.
Evening. PODBURY at the piano; BOB PRENDERGAST and his
sister HYPATIA seated near him._

_Podb._ (_chanting dolefully_)--

Now then, this party as what came from Fla-an-ders,
What had the com-plex-_i_-on rich and rare,
He went and took and caught the yeller ja-aun-ders--
And his complexion isn't what it were!

_Mr. and Miss Prendergast_ (_joining sympathetically in chorus_). And
his complexion _isn't_ what it _were_!

[_There is a faint knock at the door, and CULCHARD enters
with a volume under his arm. None of the three observes him,
and he stands and listens stiffly as PODBURY continues,--_

Well, next this party as what came from Fla-an-ders,
Whose complex-shun was formi-ally rare,
Eloped to Injia with ELIZA SA-AUN-DERS,
As lived close by in Canonbury Square.

_Culch._ (_advances to piano and touches PODBURY's arm with the air
of his better angel_). Er--I have brought you the philosophical work
I mentioned. I will leave it for an occasion when you are--er--in a
fitter frame of mind for its perusal.