GREEN. I've ordered dinner at five; and now, my charming Countess--mysterious being, whom I have loved distractedly for three long weeks through that envious veil--permit me. (_about to remove her veil, she motions him to desist_) Well I won't; delicacy forbids intrusion. However, I hope I may not be considered particularly inquisitive, if I beg to be informed why you and I should be here in Dieppe under such mysterious circumstances. MRS. G. Oh, _certainment_, Monsieur Grinfeench, I sall confess to you dat I vas _frappè_ vis your mug--dat is your superbe countenance in de vindere of your hotel. GREEN. (_aside_) Struck by my superb countenance! a clear case of fascination. My dear Countess, it is no less extraordinary that whenever you were sitting in your balcony, I generally found myself flattening my nose against the centre pane of my window. MRS. G. _Oui_, _oui_, I did regard your flat nose vare mosh, _en attendant_, it happen I did find myself in a position _tres embarrasant_--a situation of danger; I was in want of a friend--_un ami_. GREEN. And you thought of me. MRS. G. _Oui_, you were at de top of my mind--dat is, uppermost in my thoughts. GREEN. Tender confession! and then you wrote to me this dear little note. (_produces a note and kisses it_) Imagine the indescribable emotion I experienced in my interior when I opened it and read these lines. (_reads_) "Interesting stranger, I am not insense to your merits, but circumstances demand secresy. I shall be wait for you this evening at nine o'clock in a post carriage outside the Barriere d'Enfer.--PAULINE, Countess de Rambuteau." I hastened accordingly to the barrier at the hour named. MRS. G. Vare I did attend, as vas appoint. GREEN. Yes, but instead of inviting me to take a seat beside you, I was lifted by two fellows, whose muscular developments forbade any opposition on my part, into the dickey of the carriage--the postillion cracked his whip, away we started--and that is all I know about the affair. MRS. G. Ha, ha! I fear I have trespass on your complaisance, your vat you call spooney disposition--dat is, your good nature. GREEN. Countess, my good nature is public property like Kennington Common--you can't trespass on it. Is there any other way I can be serviceable to you? MRS. G. _Oui_, dere is one oder little ting; vil you permit me, vile in dis _maison_, to be _apellez_ your _femme_, your best half of de vorst--to be called Madame Grinfeench? GREEN. Madame:--in English that means Missus--Mrs. Greenfinch! MRS. G. _Oui_. I have particulere reason for my request. GREEN. Hem! hem! Perhaps, Countess, you are not aware that there's a previous Mrs. Greenfinch at this moment on the British shores; a splendid woman, though I say it, who sits like a pensive dove mourning for her absent mate at Peckham Rye. MRS. G. (_aside_) There's some good in him still. Oh dat is no obelisk in de vay. I go to-morrow in de packey bote, and sall only be your little rib for a little time.