Mrs. Somers: "Wouldn't it be impolite?" Campbell; "Oh, not for _you_." Mrs. Somers: "If you're so sarcastic, I shall be afraid of you." Campbell: "Under what circumstances?" Mrs. Somers, dropping her eyes: "I don't know." He makes a rush upon her. "Oh! here comes Mrs. Curwen! Shake hands, as if you were going." IX _MRS. CURWEN; MRS. SOMERS; MR. CAMPBELL_ Mrs. Curwen: "What! is Mr. Campbell going, _too_?" Mrs. Somers: "Too? _You're_ not going, Mrs. Curwen?" Mrs. Curwen: "Yes, I'm going. The likeness is perfect, Mrs. Somers. It's a speaking likeness, if there ever was one." Campbell: "Did it do all the talking?" Mrs. Curwen: "It would--if Mrs. Roberts and Dr. Lawton hadn't been there. Well, I must go." Campbell: "So must I." Mrs. Somers, in surprise: "_Must_ you?" Campbell: "Yes; these drifts will be over my ears directly." Mrs. Curwen: "You poor man! You don't mean to say you're _walking_?" Campbell: "I shall be, in about half a minute." Mrs. Curwen: "Indeed you shall not! You shall be driving--with me. I've a vacancy in the coupe, and I'll set you down wherever you like." Campbell: "Won't it crowd you?" Mrs. Curwen: "Not at all." Campbell: "Or incommode you in any way?" Mrs. Curwen: "It will oblige me in every way." Campbell: "Then I will go, and a thousand thanks. Good-by again, Mrs. Somers." Mrs. Curwen: "Good-by, Mrs. Somers. Poor Mrs. Somers! It seems too bad to leave you here alone, bowed in an elegiac attitude over your tea-urn." Mrs. Somers: "Oh, not at all! Remember me to _Mr._ Curwen." Mrs. Curwen: "I will. Well, Mr. Campbell--" Mrs. Somers: "Mr. Campbell--" Campbell: "Well?" Mrs. Curwen: "To which?" Campbell: "Both." Mrs. Somers: "Neither!" Mrs. Curwen: "Ah! ha, ha, ha! Mr. Campbell, do you know much about women?" Campbell: "I had a mother." Mrs. Curwen: "Oh, a _mother_ won't do." Campbell: "Well, I have an only sister who is a woman." Mrs. Curwen: "A sister won't do, _either_--not your own. You can't learn a woman's meaning in that way." Campbell: "I will sit at your feet, Mrs. Curwen, if you'll instruct me." Mrs. Curwen: "I shall be delighted. I'll begin now. Oh, you needn't really prostrate yourself!" She stops him in a burlesque attempt to do so. "And I'll concentrate the wisdom of the whole first lesson in a single word." Campbell, with clasped hands of entreaty: "Speak, blessed ghost!" Mrs. Curwen: "Stay! Ah! ha, ha, ha!" She flies at Mrs. Somers and kisses her. "You can't say I'm ill-natured, my dear, whatever I am!" Mrs. Somers, pursuing her exit with the word: "No, merely atrocious." A pause ensues, in which Campbell stands irresolute. X _MRS. SOMERS; MR. CAMPBELL_ Campbell, finally: "Did you wish me to stay, Amy?" Mrs. Somers, airily: "I? Oh no! It was Mrs. Curwen." Campbell: "Then I think I'll accept her kind offer of a seat in her coupe." Mrs. Somers: "Oh! I thought, of course, you'd stay--at _her_ request." Campbell: "No; I shall only stay at yours."