_Christine._ Christine, Madame. My grandfather-- _Bev._ Never mind your pedigree--which of us do you want? _Mad. L._ Be quiet. Well my dear? _Chris._ My grandfather is very old and blind, if you please, and--and--oh! I want to see the _nice_, _good_ gentleman. _Des._ Bevannes, she don't want _you_. _Chris._ The _handsome_ gentleman. _Bev._ Doctor, she don't want _you_. _Chris._ Please, Madame, may I tell you what happened yesterday? _Mad. L._ Yes, child, go on. _Chris._ My grandfather has a dog that leads him about--poor old Spot--such a pet-- _Enter MADAME AUBREY._ _Mad. A._ A pet! are you talking of a pet? _Bev._ Yes; but don't weep, Madame--it isn't a donkey. Go on, little girl. _Chris._ Well, yesterday, we three--grandfather, Spot and I, were sitting near the stream, in the village, by the mill-dam, when some wicked boys--oh! such dreadful wicked boys, came by. They seized poor Spot and threw him into the water. He was nearly being crushed by the mill-wheel, when a dear, kind gentleman, who was riding by on a beautiful black horse-- _Enter MANUEL._ Oh! there he is. Oh, sir! I'm so glad I've found you. _Man._ [_Aside._] Oh, confound it! what brings you here, you little pest? _Chris._ Don't be angry, sir--you rode away so fast, yesterday, I had no time to thank you, and I wish to do so now. _Bev._ Beautiful subject for a nautical drama: "The Desperate Diver; or, The Drowning Dog of the Dam." _Man._ Ridiculous enough, I admit. However, I did jump into the water after poor Spot. _Chris._ You did, you did, indeed! Ah! sir, [_to_ BEVANNES,] you laugh--but perhaps if you were old and blind, you wouldn't think it such a joke. _Bev._ I assure you, my dear, it would have given me infinite pleasure to have saved your dog. _Des._ You save a dog? Why you can't swim. [_All laugh._ _Bev._ Here are ten francs, child, go away. _Chris._ And now, sir, [_To_ MANUEL.] I'll go directly, if you'll give me just one kiss. _Man._ [_Angrily._] Upon my word-- _Mad. L._ Now I insist upon it you do. Poor little thing, I'm sure she deserves it. _Man._ [_Laughing._] Well, then, [_Kisses her._] now, go home, there's a dear. _Chris._ Oh! I will, I will, good-bye. _Mad. L._ Well, haven't you got one for me? _Chris._ Oh, dear, yes, Madame. [_Kisses MAD. L._ _Bev._ You're forgetting your money. _Chris._ Oh, dear, no, sir. [_Takes it and curtsies._ _Bev._ Now a kiss for me? _Chris._ Oh, dear, no, sir! [_Curtsies and exits. All laugh except MADAME AUBREY._ _Mad. A._ Oh! [_Weeps._ _Bev._ Weeping for my disappointment, Madame? _Mad. A._ No--sir--no. _Mad. L._ A most interesting little girl. _Mad. A._ That's it, that's it. She reminds me of a circumstance that occurred in my youth, before my marriage. You must know I had a little-- _Des._ Hallo! [_Takes MARGUERITE hastily up stage._