THYRSIS: [Off stage.] Sir, we are in our dressing-room!

COTHURNUS: Come out and do the scene.

CORYDON: [Off stage.] You are mocking us!--
The scene is down for later.

COTHURNUS: That is true;
But we will play it now. I am the scene.
[Seats himself on high place in back of stage.]

[Enter CORYDON and THYRSIS.]

CORYDON: Sir, we are counting on this little hour.
We said, "Here is an hour,--in which to think
A mighty thought, and sing a trifling song,
And look at nothing."--And, behold! the hour,
Even as we spoke, was over, and the act begun,
Under our feet!

THYRSIS: Sir, we are not in the fancy
To play the play. We had thought to play it later.

CORYDON: Besides, this is the setting for a farce.
Our scene requires a wall; we cannot build
A wall of tissue-paper!

THYRSIS: We cannot act
A tragedy with comic properties!