_Podb._ (_ruefully_). Thanks--I won't trouble you. Only it does seem rather rough on fellows, don't you know. If everyone went on his plan--well, there wouldn't be many marriages! Still, I never thought you'd say "Yes" right off. It's like my cheek, I know, to ask you at all; you're so awfully clever and that. And if there's a chance for me, I'm game for anything in the way of a trial. Don't make it stiffer than you can help, that's all! _Miss P._ All I ask of you is to leave me for a short time, and go and travel with Mr. CULCHARD again. _Podb._ Oh, I say, Miss PRENDERGAST, you know. Make it something else. _Do!_ _Miss P._ That is the task I require, and I can accept no other. It is nothing, after all, but what you came out here to do. _Podb._ I didn't know him _then_, you see. And what made me agree to come away with him at all is beyond me. It was all HUGHIE ROSE's doing--he said we should get on together like blazes. So we have--_very_ like blazes! _Miss P._ Never mind that. Are you willing to accept the trial or not? _Podb._ If you only knew what he's like when he's nasty, you'd let me off--you would, really. But there, to please you, I'll do it. I'll stand him as long as ever I can--'pon my honour I will. Only you'll make it up to me afterwards, won't you now? _Miss P._ I will make no promises--a true knight should expect no reward for his service, Mr. PODBURY. _Podb._ (_blankly_). Shouldn't he? I'm a little new to the business, you see, and it _does_ strike me--but never mind. When am I to trot him off? _Miss P._ As soon as you can induce him to go--to-morrow, if possible. _Podb._ I don't believe he'll _go_, you know, for one thing! _Miss P._ (_demurely_). I think you will find him open to persuasion. But go and try, Mr. PODBURY. _Podb._ (_to himself, as he withdraws_). Well, I've let myself in for a nice thing! Rummest way of treating a proposal _I_ ever heard of. I should just like to tell that fellow RUSKIN what I think of his precious ideas. But there's _one_ thing, though--she can't care about CULCHARD, or she wouldn't want him carted off like this.... Hooray, I never thought of that before! Why, there he is, dodging about to find out how _I've_ got on. I'll tackle him straight off. [_CULCHARD and PODBURY meet at the head of the staircase, and speak at the same moment._ _Culch._ Er--PODBURY it has } occurred to me that we might-- } } leave this place to-morrow! _Podb._ I say, CULCHARD, we } really ought to-- } _Podb._ Hullo! we're both of one mind for once, eh? (_To himself_.) Poor old beggar! Got the sack! That explains a lot. Well, I won't tell him anything about this business just now. _Culch._ So it appears. (_To himself_.) (Had his _quietus_, evidently. Ah, well, I won't exult over him. [_They go off together to consult a time-table._