"I understand you," answered Serlo, "and we can arrange it. One of them we shall hand over to Elmira, Old Boisterous's eldest daughter: it will all be right, if they look well enough; and I will deck and trim the puppets so that it shall be first-rate fun to behold them." Philina was rejoicing not a little, that she had to act the Duchess in the small subordinate play. "I will show it so natural," cried she, "how you wed a second husband, without loss of time, when you have loved the first immensely. I mean to win the loudest plaudits, and every man shall wish to be the third." Aurelia gave a frown: her spleen against Philina was increasing every day. "'Tis a pity, I declare," said Serlo, "that we have no ballet; else you should dance me a _pas de deux_ with your first, and then another with your second husband,--and the first might dance himself to sleep by the measure; and your bits of feet and ankles would look so pretty, tripping to and fro upon the side stage." "Of my ankles you do not know much," replied she pertly; "and as to my bits of feet," cried she, hastily reaching below the table, pulling off her slippers, and holding them together out to Serlo, "here are the cases of them; and I challenge you to find me more dainty ones." "I was in earnest," said he, looking at the elegant half-shoes. "In truth, one does not often meet with any thing so dainty." They were of Parisian workmanship: Philina had received them as a present from the countess, a lady whose foot was celebrated for its beauty. "A charming thing!" cried Serlo: "my heart leaps at the sight of them." "What gallant throbs!" replied Philina. "There is nothing in the world beyond a pair of slippers," said he, "of such pretty manufacture, in their proper time and place, when"-- Philina took her slippers from his hands, crying, "You have squeezed them all! They are far too wide for me!" She played with them, and rubbed the soles of them together. "How hot it is!" cried she, clapping the sole upon her cheek, then again rubbing, and holding it to Serlo. He was innocent enough to stretch out his hand to feel the warmth. "Clip! clap!" cried she, giving him a smart rap over the knuckles with the heel; so that he screamed, and drew back his hand. "That's for indulging in thoughts of your own at the sight of my slippers." "And that's for using old folk like children," cried the other; then sprang up, seized her, and plundered many a kiss, every one of which she artfully contested with a show of serious reluctance. In this romping, her long hair got loose, and floated round the group; the chair overset; and Aurelia, inwardly indignant at such rioting, arose in great vexation. CHAPTER VI. Though in this remoulding of "Hamlet" many characters had been cut off, a sufficient number of them still remained,--a number which the company was scarcely adequate to meet.