afraid if you go around patting the scenery on the head this way,
you'll have the lake overflow?

_Bob. P._ Ha-ha-ha! One in the eye for _you_, CULCHARD!

_Culch._ (_with dignity_). Surely one may express a natural enthusiasm
without laying oneself open--?

_Miss T._ Gracious, yes! I should hope you wouldn't want to show your
enthusiasm _that_ way--like a Japanese nobleman!

_Culch._ (_to himself_). Now that's coarse--_really_
coarse!--(_Aloud._)--I seem to be unable to open my mouth now without
some ridiculous distortion--

_Miss T._ My!--but that's a serious symptom--isn't it? You don't feel
like you were going to have lock-jaw, do you, Mr. CULCHARD?

[_CULCHARD falls back to the rear once more. Later--Mr.
VAN BOODELER has joined the party; HYPATIA has contrived
to detach her brother, CULCHARD has sought refuge with
PODBURY._

_Miss T._ (_to VAN B._). So that's what kept you? "Well, it sounds
just too enchanting. But I cann't answer for what Miss PRENDERGAST
will say to it. It mayn't suit her notions of propriety.

_Mr. Van B._ I expect she'll be superior to Britannic prejudices of
that kind. I consider your friend a highly cultivated and charming
lady, MAUD. She produces that impression upon me.