Your house is burnt down. It does not madder. You have made a gread hit in my new oratorio--I mean my gomic opera. I have been walking up and down Fleet Street waiting for the babers to gome out. [_Handing round all the newspapers._] Der "Dimes"--Der "Delegraph"--Der "Daily News"--Der "Standard"--Der "Bost"--Der "Ghronicle"! Dey are all gomplimentary except one, and dat I gave to the gabman. MISS DYOTT. [_Reading._] "Miss Delaporte--a decided acquisition." BERNSTEIN. Go on! QUECKETT [_Reading._] "Miss Delaporte--an imposing figure." [_Indignantly._] What do they know about it? BERNSTEIN. [_Excitedly._] Go on! Go on! I always say I do not read the babers, but I do! [_To Miss Dyott._] You will get fifty bounds a week in my next oratorio--I mean, my gomic opera. QUECKETT. Fifty pounds a week! My Carrie! I shall be able to snap my fingers at my damn family. MRS. RANKLING. How very pleasing! [_Reading._] "A voice of great purity, a correct intonation, and a lower G of decided volume, rendered attractive some music not remarkable for grace or originality." [_Bernstein takes the paper from Mrs. Rankling._] BERNSTEIN. I did not see dat--I will give dat to the gabman. Goo-bye--I cannot stay. I am going to have a Turkish bath till the evening babers gome out. I always say I do not read the evening babers--but I do! [_He bustles out._] MRS. RANKLING. Mrs. Queckett, I shall book stalls at once to hear your singing. RANKLING. No, Emma--dress circle. MRS. RANKLING. Stalls, Archibald. RANKLING. [_ Glaring!_] Dress circle! MRS. RANKLING. Stalls, Archibald, or I leave you for ever! RANKLING. [_Mildly._] Very well, Emma. I have no desire but to please you. QUECKETT. I take this as a great compliment, my dear Rankling. Carrie and I thank you. But I can't hear of it. I insist on offering you both a seat in my box. MISS DYOTT. _Your_ box! QUECKETT. [_Softly to her._] Hush! Carrie, my darling! Your Vere's private box! MISS DVOTT. Mr. Queckett's private box, during my absence at night, will be our lodgings, where he will remain under lock and key. [_Peggy laughs at Queckett._] QUECKETT. [_To Peggy._] Oh, you vexing girl! MALLORY. [_Annoyed._] Excuse me, my dear Queckett--but while looking at the plants in the conservatory, I became engaged to Miss Hesslerigge. [_There is a general exclamation of surprise._] REGINALD. [_To Mallory._] Ah, coward, you haven't to wait five years! [_Jane enters._] JANE. Oh, if you please, ma'am, Tyler-- MISS DYOTT, QUECKETT, PEGGY, AND DINAH. Tyler! JANE. Tyler wants to know who is to pay him the reward for being the first to fetch the fire engines last night? QUECKETT. I will! MISS DYOTT.