_He_ (_working it out_). I see. I take it the others are away from home. _She_ (_gently_). No. They died. Have some more salad? _He._ Thank you. I’m sorry. At least, you know what I mean. _She._ The odd thing was that they all died at the same time--in a way. _He._ Oh! Was there an epidemic, or what? _She._ Oh, no. What I mean is they each died the night we were married. _He._ That _is_ curious. Why did they die? _She._ Nobody knows. They just died. It’s given me a great deal of bother. _He._ But I suppose you’ve been able to use the same trousseau in each case. _She._ But nay; for I have invariably embroidered every garment in gold and silver with the name and image of my love. _He._ By Jove, what a bore! I say, have you embroidered any garments with _my_ name and image? I’d like to see them. _She_ (_sadly_). Nay, my beloved. This time I have embroidered nothing. It seems such a waste. _He._ Yes, yes, of course. All the same----You know, my olive branch, I can’t help wishing you’d told me about this before we were wed. _She._ I am sorry, my love. I can’t think how it slipped my memory. But there was so much shopping to be done, and what with one thing and another----_Do_ have some more salad. _He._ Thanks; its delicious. By the way, who made it? _She._ With her own fair hands your lily contrived it. _He._ Oh! Perhaps, after all, I won’t have any more. I don’t feel so hungry as I thought I did. _She._ The last but two used to love my salads. All his married life---- _He_ (_musing_). By the way, when you say “night,” what time of night do you mean? When did the last but two, for instance---- _She._ I should have said “evening” really; it was careless of me. Usually about nine---- _He_ (_looking at hour-glass_). Curious--I don’t feel nearly so well. I wonder if---- [_The curtains falls to denote the passage of a few months. When it rises two people are discovered at supper--a Woman (the same one) and a Man (a different one)._ _She._ You eat heartily, my pomegranate. _He._ Who would not eat heartily on the day of his espousal to such a maid as _thee_. _She._ That reminds me. I knew there was something I wanted to tell you, but the wedding put it quite out of my head. _He._ Truly, what shouldst thou think of at thy espousal but thy spouse? _She._ Do you minding saying “_you_”? None of the others have said “_thou_.” _He._ As you will, beloved. But of what “others” speakest thou? _She._ Well, that’s really the point. The fact is, my tangerine, you are not my first spouse--at least, not quite. _He._ How so? What delicious salad! _She._ Have some more. No, you are--let me see--one, two, three, four--yes, you are the first but six. It’s rather a curious story; I wonder if it will bore you? _He._ What tale from thy sweet lips could tedious be?