_An Irrelevant Person_. It's just a _little_ melancholy, though, don't
you think?--which reminds me--_how_ much did you say that jet trimming
was a yard--nine pence three-farthings?

_Her Friend_. Nine pence halfpenny at the shop in St. Paul's
Churchyard. The child has her frock open at the top behind, you
see--evidently a _poor_ family!

_The I.P._ Yes, and the workbasket with the reels of cotton and all.
(_Looking suddenly down_.) Don't you call this a handsome carpet?

_A Frivolous Frenchman_ (_fresh from 'The Casual Ward' and 'The
Martyr' to his companion_). Tenez, mon cher, encore des choses gaies!

[_He passes on with a shrug._]

_A Good Young Man with a train of three Maiden Aunts in tow_ (_halting
them before a picture of_ SIR J. NOEL PATON's). Now you ought to look
at this one.

[_They inspect it with docility. It represents a Knight in
armour riding through a forest and surrounded by seductive
Wood-nymphs._

_First Maiden Aunt_. Is that a guitar one of those girls is playing,
or what?

_Second Ditto, Ditto_. A mandolin more likely; it looks like
mother-o'-pearl--is it supposed to be King ARTHUR, and are they