classic knee, Sir, which nothing in nature—Modern nature—could equal.

Dunn. (C. ) I did manage to have my own way for once, and there it is, behind that four-fold screen, which boxes it in completely. It’s nicely out of the way there too.

Tomp. (rising) You’d like to see it, Sillocks?

Sill. Yes!

Tomp. A glorious figure, Sir!

Goes L. and around table.

Dunn. (up C.) I suppose as Statues go, it is very well turned out.

Swings back fold of screen, showing Statue of Niobe; Dunn is now R., holding back two folds of screen; red glow from fire.

Tomp. (L. C. behind table) Lovely! What exquisite moulding—That knee especially!

Sill. (curiously) What’s she supposed to be doing?

Tomp. (back of table) Weeping! You know the story of Niobe. The gods wearied of her incessant tears: turned her into stone.

Dunn. She’d make an elegant ornament for a family vault.

Tomp. Sillocks! I would not take ten thousand pounds for that Statue.

Dunn. Sillocks won’t tempt you!

Tomp. (with enthusiasm) This beautiful image was dug up in the ruins of Thebes in 1785; it passed into the hands of a Florentine gentleman; but in 1825 Count Bernoldi purchased it and it remained in his collection, till I tempted his grandson, a spendthrift youth, with an offer he could not resist. Oh, how perfectly that nose is chiselled, and that shoulder——

Dunn. That cold shoulder——

Tomp. (approaching Statue) What are those wires around the feet?

Mary. (who is seen busy in hall C.—quickly) Excuse me, Sir, don’t touch them; the Electric man said as you were to be very careful with the wires.

Dunn. The connection with the street is made then? (Dunn closes the screen and lights go up again)

Mary. (C. in doorway) Yes, Sir! But he hadn’t time to bury the wires under the floor to-day; so he wrapped ’em round the feet of the Statue, where they wouldn’t be likely to hurt no one.

Dunn. Who the devil gave him permission to touch the figure? Don’t you know you are expressly forbidden to touch the figures?

Ladies come down stairs to hallway; Corney and Innings from R. in hallway join them.

Mary. Miss Griffin, Sir!

Dunn. Oh Miss—— That’ll do!

Mary exits at back R.

N. B.—After Dunn closes screen Niobe removes white wig, makes up, etc., for re-appearance in the flesh.

Tomp. Confound your modern appliances! They managed to get along without them in Attica! Bah! We might all have been killed!

Tompkins crosses L. corner; lights going up.

Dunn. (C.) Not this time. The pressure isn’t on.

Sill. How do you know that?

Dunn. (following Tompkins, crosses to window L.) Because the lights in the street are not going yet.

Helen, Beatrice, Corney, Hattie and Innings, and Carrie advance from hallway C.

Corn. (putting on gloves) Sorry Phil, that you can’t come along with us. (Corney down L. C.)

Inn. I’m not dressed to go to the Theatre.

Car. What a pity there isn’t another seat?

Carrie comes down R.; Sillocks gets up back of ladies to centre.

Hat. Oh, you must come, Mr. Innings.

Hel. (coming C.) If you will give up your seat to Mr. Innings.

Inn. (protestingly) No, no!

Dunn. If you are all settled in your seats, let me introduce Mr. Tompkins, Mr. Hamilton Tompkins, my wife—(ladies get into line with Corney top; Dunn waving his hand comprehensively) My wife’s family.

Corn. (waving his hand) How are you, Tompkins?

Hel. We are delighted to meet you.

All ladies in row curtsey rather marked; Carrie is R. corner, Helen next, Hattie next, Bea next to Corney.

Sill. (C. at back) Come along, Mrs. Dunn; we shall be late!

Carrie exits C. and L. with Sillocks.

Corn. Come on Phil, give your arm to Hattie, and pilot her to the carriage.

Bea. Some of us will have to walk; the brougham will only hold four.

Exit Corney and Beatrice, others following C. and L.

Hat. Mr. Innings can sit on my lap. (exits taking Inning’s arm.)

Hel. Hattie! I can do nothing with her.

Exit Helen C. and L.; slam of door; lights slowly going down.

Tomp. (front of table) All your wife’s family?

Dunn. (C., coming down) Nearly!

Tomp. Some of your own?

Dunn. Oh no! I married out of my own family circle into my wife’s—I got rid of one Griffin by changing it to a Dunn, and three other Griffins sprang up in its place. Takes it out of the Phenix, don’t it? (rings bell on table)

Mary enters R. C.; Dunn signs to her; she exits R. D.

Tomp. (crosses R.) Griffin! Griffin! Was that your wife’s