"How soon are your friends going to take their leave, Bella?" asked
Chetwynd in an undertone to his wife.

But Bella turned her back upon him without deigning to give him so
much as a word.

"I think I had the pleasure of seeing you perform the other night,
Mrs. Doss," remarked Mr. Meynell.

"Don't she look a figger in tights? now tell the truth and shame the
old gentleman: a female as fat as my wife ought not never to leave
off her petticoats, that's what I says."

"Samuel, fie! You make me blush." His wife coughed discreetly behind
her hand. "It's a new departure, I grant; but I've had a good many
compliments paid me since I took to the nautical style, I can tell
you."

"Gammon!" grunted Mr. Doss, with a dissatisfied air. "Did you see her
as the 'Rabbit Queen,' sir? My! the patience that woman displayed in
the training of them little furry animals would have astonished you.
Struck the line, sir, out of her own 'ed! 'I'm going, Samuel,' she
said, 'to supply a want.' 'You!' I says. 'Me!' says she; 'they have
got their serpents,' she says, 'and their ducks, and their pigeons
and their kangaroos,' 'What's their void?' said I. 'Rabbits,' she
says, and there you are!"

"Saidie, why don't you sit down? We will have some supper directly,"
said Bella.