'Good-morning, Mr. Marks,' said Duval. 'Come in, pray. You have brought your usual budget with you, I perceive,' pointing to a bundle of letters which the secretary held in his hand; 'anything of importance?' 'No, sir,' replied Mr. Marks, 'not of any particular importance. Price, the manager of the Alexandria at Ruabon, offers ten shillings a night for the _Cruiskeen Lawn_ for a week certain.' 'Does he!' interposed Mr. Duval, smiling and showing all his white teeth; 'and he has the impudence to call himself "Price." Of course, no!' 'I have written so, sir,' said Mr. Marks. 'They want the music for _Anne of Austria_ at Durham, and the plot of the scenery for _Varco the Vampire_ at Swansea. I have sent the usual note to the Sunday papers announcing that _Pickwick's Progress_ will be put into rehearsal at the Gravity on Monday. By the way, sir, will you allow me to suggest that that name has been used before?' 'What name, my dear Mr. Marks?' said Bryan Duval, looking up with an affectation of the greatest innocence. 'Pickwick, sir,' said Mr. Marks; 'Mr. Dickens has a work in which that name occurs.' 'Ah,' said Mr. Duval, stroking his silky moustache, 'by the way, now you mention it, I think he has--curious that that idea did not occur to me before. However, this is _Pickwick's Progress_, and I don't think Mr. Dickens or Mr. Anybodyelse has ever had anything of that sort; at all events, I am clear they can say nothing about infringement of copyright, so we will hold to _Pickwick's Progress_, Mr. Marks. Anything else?' 'A newspaper, sir, from Melbourne, evidently sent by Mr. Prodder.' 'Prodder,' repeated Mr. Duval, closing his eyes; 'ah, I remember--the stage-struck pork-butcher. Yes, and what of Prodder?' 'He seems to have made a great success with Romeo, sir; the paper says he quite hit the taste of the Melbourne audience.' 'Ah, that is not very complimentary to the Melbourne audience, is it, Marks? However, anything more?' 'Yes, sir, a letter from Mr. Van Buren, acknowledging the receipt of your signed copy of the engagement, saying he will take your rooms at the Hoffman House, and either he or Mr. Jacobs will be at the Cunard wharf when the Cuba comes in.' 'Good,' said Bryan Duval, slowly rubbing his hands together. 'Van Buren is a man of business. That engagement is going to turn up trumps, Marks, and my old friends, the Yankees, are going to do me another good turn. By the way, any reply from Miss Montressor?' 'Yes, sir,' said Mr. Marks, 'this,' touching a small pink note. 'She will be here at eleven, precisely.'