"Well, that's how I read the part. Hang it, I ought to know if I've been bitten or not. But I won't show it if you like; I'll come on briskly." I went out, and came on very briskly. "That's better," said Derry. "'His Majesty ordered me to be here at the stroke of noon,'" I said. "'Belike he has some secret commands to lay upon me, or perchance it is nought but a plague of rats. But who is this?'" "'Oh,'" said Myra, coming in suddenly, "'I had thought to be alone.'" "'Nay, do not flee from me, pretty one. It is thus that----' I say, Myra, it's no good my saying do not flee if you don't flee." "I was just going to. You didn't give me a chance. There, now I'm fleeing." "Oh, all right. 'It is thus that the rats flee when they see me approaching. Am I so very fearsome?'" "'Orrid," said Archie to himself from the wings. "One moment," said Derry, and he turned round to speak to somebody. "Puffickly 'orrid," said Archie again. "Nay, do not frown," Myra went on, "'tis only my little brother, who is like unto a codfish himself, and jealous withal." "Ay, ay, and I thought it _was_ a codfish. So that I had e'en brought the egg-sauce with me." "Trouble not thyself for that," said Archie. "For verily the audience will supply thee with all the eggs thou wantest. I say, we _are_ being funny." "I'm not, I'm quite serious, I really did think it was a co---- 'But tell me, fair one,'" I said hurriedly, "'for what dost the Emperor want me?'" "Yes, yes," said Derry, "I'm sorry I had to interrupt you. I think perhaps we had better begin again. Yes, from the beginning." The rehearsal rolled on. * * * * * * * "I think it went splendidly," said Myra. "If only we had known our parts and come in at the right moments and been more serious over it." "If there's any laughing to be done it will have to be done by _us_. The audience won't laugh." "'Mr Derry having explained that the author was not in the house, the audience collected their cauliflowers and left quietly.' I think it's a rotten play." "Well, it isn't frightfully funny," said Myra, "but we can put that in ourselves." "It's so jolly hard to say the lines properly--they're so unnatural," complained Thomas. "'Truly thou hast created a favourable impression with the damsel'--well, I mean, it's absurd. Any ordinary person would say 'Truly thou art amongst them, old spot,' or something of that kind." "Well, you say that, Thomas; you'll be all right," "We might put a few songs in," said Dahlia, "and a dance or two." "I think you've forgotten that we've done only Act I.," remarked Archie. "His Majesty's conjuror doesn't really let himself go till Act II. Still, I'm all for a song and a dance. Simpson, come and Apache with me." They dashed at each other fiercely. "Oh, _we'll_ make it go all right," said Myra. CHAPTER IV LAST MOMENTS "Has anybody here seen Kelly?" asked Dahlia, putting her head in at the billiard-room door. "I mean Archie."