MARIONETTA You are very gallant, Mr Listless; and I dare say you are very fond of reading Dante. THE HONOURABLE MR LISTLESS I don't know how it is, but Dante never came in my way till lately. I never had him in my collection, and if I had had him I should not have read him. But I find he is growing fashionable, and I am afraid I must read him some wet morning. MARIONETTA No, read him some evening, by all means. Were you ever in love, Mr Listless? THE HONOURABLE MR LISTLESS I assure you, Miss O'Carroll, never--till I came to Nightmare Abbey. I dare say it is very pleasant; but it seems to give so much trouble that I fear the exertion would be too much for me. MARIONETTA Shall I teach you a compendious method of courtship, that will give you no trouble whatever? THE HONOURABLE MR LISTLESS You will confer on me an inexpressible obligation. I am all impatience to learn it. MARIONETTA Sit with your back to the lady and read Dante; only be sure to begin in the middle, and turn over three or four pages at once--backwards as well as forwards, and she will immediately perceive that you are desperately in love with her--desperately. _(The Honourable Mr Listless sitting between Scythrop and Marionetta, and fixing all his attention on the beautiful speaker, did not observe Scythrop, who was doing as she described.)_ THE HONOURABLE MR LISTLESS You are pleased to be facetious, Miss O'Carroll. The lady would infallibly conclude that I was the greatest brute in town. MARIONETTA Far from it. She would say, perhaps, some people have odd methods of showing their affection. THE HONOURABLE MR LISTLESS But I should think, with submission-- MR FLOSKY (_joining them from another part of the room_) Did I not hear Mr Listless observe that Dante is becoming fashionable? THE HONOURABLE MR LISTLESS I did hazard a remark to that effect, Mr Flosky, though I speak on such subjects with a consciousness of my own nothingness, in the presence of so great a man as Mr Flosky. I know not what is the colour of Dante's devils, but as he is certainly becoming fashionable I conclude they are blue; for the blue devils, as it seems to me, Mr Flosky, constitute the fundamental feature of fashionable literature. MR FLOSKY The blue are, indeed, the staple commodity; but as they will not always be commanded, the black, red, and grey may be admitted as substitutes. Tea, late dinners, and the French Revolution, have played the devil, Mr Listless, and brought the devil into play. MR TOOBAD (_starting up_) Having great wrath. MR FLOSKY This is no play upon words, but the sober sadness of veritable fact. THE HONOURABLE MR LISTLESS Tea, late dinners, and the French Revolution. I cannot exactly see the connection of ideas. MR FLOSKY