We must, therefore, ask you to bring your imaginations to our aid, and to fancy you see in that door and in these four easy-chairs the interior of a first-class compartment of a railway-carriage, and to imagine further that I have passed the night in one of them, and am at the present moment still enjoying a profound sleep. And now, ladies and gentlemen, permit me to enter into my part, to seat myself in the snuggest corner I can find, and to resume my interrupted nap! (_makes a profound bow to audience, goes up stage, and seats himself on the first chair, L. H.; puts on his travelling-cap, wraps himself up in the railway-rug, after having placed on the second chair, L., his travelling-bag, a railway guide, and a paper-knife; he then yawns once or twice, then falls asleep, and after a time snores gently. Loud noise of train arriving, with steam-engine, railway-bell, and whistle, as the train is supposed to arrive and gradually to stop_). GUARD (_heard without_). Reading! Change here for Guildford, Dorking, Reigate, Redhill! VOICE (_without_). Guard, how long do we stop here? GUARD (_without_). Ten minutes, sir! (_Cries of "Reading; change here," etc., etc., etc., repeated, and gradually diminishing, accompanied by noise of slamming doors, etc._) GENTLEMAN (_starting from his sleep_). What's that? Who speaks of stopping? I wonder what the time is? (_Looks at watch._) Seven o'clock? (_Opens door and looks out._) Broad daylight, I declare (_closing door again_); then I must have slept the best part of the night! I don't even remember my travelling companion getting out; he seems to have forgotten his newspaper (_taking up paper from chair_). Not a very talkative fellow; in fact, he never opened his mouth, except to put something into it--principally Abernethys and peppermint-drops. By Jove, his _Daily News_ is full of crumbs and caraways now!--a regular pantry! GUARD (_again heard without_). Reading! Ten minutes to stop! GENTLEMAN. Ten minutes to stop? Then I may as well get out and stretch my legs a bit (_rises, puts railway-rug, guide, and travelling-bag on his seat, and goes to door C.; then calls_). Guard, whereabouts is the refreshment-bar? GUARD (_without_). This way, sir (_GENTLEMAN goes out at door C. towards R. H.--short pause_). _The LADY looks in at C. and stops; then enters with two small parcels and a bonnet-box._