"'Nothing easier!" said the Comedian. "Will you do me the honour to
meet him at tea this evening?"

"Rather will you not come and take tea at my house?" said the Mayor,
with a shy glance towards Mr. Williams.

THE COMEDIAN.--"You are very kind; but my time is so occupied that I have
long since made it a rule to decline all private invitations out of my
own home. At my years, Mr. Mayor, one may be excused for taking leave of
society and its forms; but you are comparatively young men. I presume on
the authority of these gray hairs, and I shall expect you this evening,
--say at nine o'clock." The Actor waved his hand graciously and
withdrew.

"A scholar AND a gentleman," said Williams, emphatically. And the Mayor,
thus authorized to allow vent to his kindly heart, added, "A humourist,
and a pleasant one. Perhaps he is right, and our poor operatives would
thank us more for a little innocent amusement than for those lectures,
which they may be excused for thinking rather dull, since even you fell
asleep when Professor Long got into the multilocular shell of the very
first class of cephalous mollusca; and it is my belief that harmless
laughter has a good moral effect upon the working class,--only don't
spread it about that I said so, for we know excellent persons of a
serious turn of mind whose opinions that sentiment might shock."




CHAPTER XI.