HOLD. Ha! ha! ha! talking about ghosts, I expect my friend Fable. You will be delighted with Fable--a strange fellow, who thinks a legend is attached to every house--a firm believer in ghosts, goblins, and all sorts of curiosities--and no wonder, for he himself is a greater curiosity than all he believes in. But I hope we have not interrupted your studies? We want your decision on a geographical discussion. I maintain that Petersburgh is sixty degrees, north latitude-- MRS. F. Sixty-one and a half, my dear sir. EUCLID. Sixty-- MRS. F. One and a half. Obstinate creature. HOLD. Well, do not quarrel. Mr. Fergus Fable, my old friend's son, will be here in a minute, and expects to find us a quiet family. _Enter JULIA, R._ Here, Julia, you were at school last--what is the lattitude of Petersburgh? JULIA. I forget, I am sure--and the terrestial globe is gone to be repaired. (_pointing to cover, which conceals FANNY._) It seems to have come home. HOLD. Take off the cover, Euclid. EUCLID. (_aside._) Another incident! No, no--this globe is dreadfully inaccurate--full of mistakes. MRS. F. Nonsense, dear, it will do. EUCLID. No, no, no. JULIA. How very warm he is. MRS. F. What is come to you? I may look at it, and will! EUCLID. No, no; don't touch it! MRS. F. But, Mr. Euclid, I insist-- HOLD. True, true--the globe was made to be looked at. Let us settle our dispute. EUCLID. The dispute will never be settled. (_MRS. FACILE advances again to globe, EUCLID keeping her back; globe moves off, L._) HOLD. Ha, ha, ha! the globe moves in an eccentric orbit--ha! ha! MRS. F. I see it all; it is some evil creature concealed under the globe cover! I'll follow it. JULIA. So will I. EUCLID. (_holding her back._) No, no, no! HOLD. Ha! ha! ha! _Enter FABLE, L. as they approach door._ Ah, Fable, my friend--how are you? You have come in time to meet-- EUCLID. A quiet family. MRS. F. Sir, you are the murderer of-- EUCLID. Murderer--of what? MRS. F. Of my happiness, sir. EUCLID. Oh, that's all, is it? Ha! ha! that's nothing. HOLD. Nay, Mr. Facile, you are going too far. JULIA. He is getting a most horrid husband. MRS. F. He'll break my heart! (_crying._) FABLE. Crying, too! A charming family--and I seem to have called at a crisis. EUCLID. (_aside._) I have a thought! My dear, you know the gentleman whom I threw--ahem! MRS. F. Sir! EUCLID. You know--the gentleman in the basket I mean. MRS. F. Well? EUCLID. (_aside._) He came in here--you lost him, you know--and hearing Mr. Holdfast, I popped the cover on him--it was he. (_aside._) I wish it had been! MRS. F. Oh, is that all?--what a clever man you are, Euclid. That was nothing, Mr. Holdfast--nothing at all. HOLD. How very satisfactory! MRS. F. Only a frolic of my husband's, funny little man. He meant to astonish you. HOLD. Egad, he succeeded, too! I never was so struck in my life! FABLE. Nor I. I thought there was a legend attached to the house!