THE AUNT. Wait a bit, John--don't read so fast. I haven't made out the middle background yet. And where's the figure of St. Michael rising above the gilt tent, lined with _fleurs-de-lis_ on a blue ground? Would this be Guisnes, or Ardres, now? Oh, Ardres on the right--so _that's_ Ardres--yes, yes; and now tell me what it says about the two gold fountains, and that dragon up in the sky. [JOHN _calculates that, at this rate, he has a very poor chance of getting away before the Gallery closes_. THE PATRONISING PERSONS. 'Um! Holbein again, you see--very curious their ideas of painting in those days. Ah, well, Art has made great progress since then--like everything else! MISS FISHER. So _that's_ the beautiful Queen Mary! I wonder if it is really _true_ that people have got better-looking since those days? [_Glances appealingly at_ PHLEGMATIC FIANCÉ. HER PHLEGMATIC FIANCÉ. I wonder. MISS F. You hardly ever see such small hands now, do you? With those lovely long fingers, too! THE PHL. F. No, never. MISS F. Perhaps people in some other century will wonder how anybody ever saw anything to admire in _us_? THE PHL. F. Shouldn't be surprised. [MISS F. _does wish secretly that_ CHARLES _had more conversation_. THE AUNT. John, just find out who No. 222 is. JOHN (_sulkily_). Sir George Penruddocke, Knight. HIS AUNT (_with enthusiasm_). Of course--_how_ interesting this is, isn't it?--seeing all these celebrated persons exactly as they were in life! Now read who he _was_, John, please. THE INT. PERSON. Froude tells a curious incident about-- FLIPPANT P. I tell you what it is, old chap, if you read so much history, you'll end by _believing_ it! THE INT. P. (_pausing before the Shakspeare portraits_). "He was not for an age, but for all time." THE FL. P. I suppose that's why they've painted none of them alike. A PERSON WITH A TALENT FOR COMPARISON. Mary, come here a moment. Do look at this--"Elizabeth, Lady Hoby"--did you _ever_ see such a likeness? MARY. Well, dear, I don't quite-- THE PERSON WITH, &C. It's her living image! Do you mean to say you really don't recognise it?--Why, _Cook_, of course! MARY. Ah! (_apologetically_)--but I've never seen her dressed to go _out_, you know. THE UNCLE. "No. 13, Sir Rowland Hill, Lord Mayor, died 1561"-- TOMMY (_anxious to escape the threatened chapters if possible_). I know about _him_, Uncle, he invented postage stamps! OVER THE CASES. FIRST PATRONISING P. "A Tooth of Queen Katherine Parr." Dear me! very quaint. SECOND P. P. (_tolerantly_). And not at all a bad tooth, either. 'ARRIET (_comes to a case containing a hat labelled as formerly belonging to Henry the Eighth_). 'Arry, look 'ere; fancy a king going about in a thing like that--pink with a green feather! Why, I wouldn't be seen in it myself!