You're well out of the business, and you can stop here."
"No, he can't," said Magdalen. "He's in the business, too."
Mr. Francis Clare had hitherto remained modestly in the background. He
now came forward with a face expressive of speechless amazement.
"Yes," continued Magdalen, answering his blank look of inquiry with
perfect composure. "You are to act. Miss Marrable and I have a turn for
business, and we settled it all in five minutes. There are two parts in
the play left to be filled. One is Lucy, the waiting-maid; which is the
character I have undertaken--with papa's permission," she added, slyly
pinching her father's arm; "and he won't say No, will he? First, because
he's a darling; secondly, because I love him, and he loves me; thirdly,
because there is never any difference of opinion between us (is there?);
fourthly, because I give him a kiss, which naturally stops his mouth
and settles the whole question. Dear me, I'm wandering. Where was I just
now? Oh yes! explaining myself to Frank--"
"I beg your pardon," began Frank, attempting, at this point, to enter
his protest.
"The second character in the play," pursued Magdalen, without taking the
smallest notice of the protest, "is Falkland--a jealous lover, with a
fine flow of language.
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