BUNNY. Nonsense! Find him you must! (_here PHOEBE re-enters at little front door, L._) or else the marriage of Caroline Bunny, spinster, and Triptolemus Brown, bachelor, cannot take place! COCKLE. (_suddenly, and looking of at C. towards L._) Ah! I think I see him in the ball room--look there--dancing the polka! Here, young woman. (_giving hat and paletot to PHOEBE--PHOEBE goes into small room, L. with things_) COCKLE. Come along, Bunny, come along! (_puts his arm within BUNNY'S and drags him off, C. towards R._) _Here one of the window curtains is drawn aside, and TRIPTOLEMUS peeps in._ TRIPTOLE. The coast seems clear! (_looks cautiously round, and then comes forward--he has his pocket handkerchief tied round his head, his coat still ripped up to the collar, looks quite wet through, and the picture of wretchedness_) I shan't forget my visit to the metropolis of civilized England in a hurry. (_seeing the sideboard_) What's that? something in the refreshment line! I'm not addicted to picking and stealing, but a man can't be expected to go all day long, on half an ounce of lozenges! (_goes to the sideboard and begins helping himself, drinking the negus out of the decanters_) _Enter PHOEBE at L._ PHOEBE. (_seeing TRIPTOLEMUS_) Ah! somebody helping himself to the negus! Holloa, sir! TRIPTOLE. (_turning round, his mouth stuffed full of cakes and each hand crammed with them--seeing PHOEBE_) What's the matter? Ah, Phoebe! PHOEBE. Trip! Dear--dear, how wet you look! TRIPTOLE. Do you expect a man to stand under a waterspout and not get wet? Look there. (_squeezing a quantity of water out of his coat tail_) PHOEBE. I don't wish to alarm you, but that dreadful captain, who threw you out of the window---- TRIPTOLE. Well? PHOEBE. He's here! TRIPTOLE. (_jumping round frightened_) Where? PHOEBE. There, in the ball room. Just now I heard him grinding his teeth, and muttering to himself, "This ball is given in honour of him, is it? then he shall have balls enough, for I'll give him a brace through his body." So make your escape at once. TRIPTOLE. How? no more chimneys--no more windows! I should prefer a staircase this time, just for the novelty of the thing. PHOEBE. You'll find one there. (_pointing to one of the small doors at L._) Make haste! TRIPTOLE. Wait a minute. (_runs to the sideboard, and takes a decanter in one hand, and a plate of cakes in the other_) PHOEBE. (_looking off at C._) Here's some one coming. (_quadrille music heard at back R., and continued through this_) _TRIPTOLEMUS runs to L., and mistaking the door, enters that leading to the study--this is unseen by PHOEBE._ _Enter BUNNY at C._ BUNNY. Phoebe! PHOEBE. Yes, sir. (_looking round and not seeing TRIPTOLEMUS_) It's all right--he's gone! BUNNY. Run over to Mr. Cheesecake's, and enquire why that confounded waiter he promised to send hasn't made his appearance yet.