FullReads

MRS. MILLER,
taking possession of her husband: “Oh, what a fright you have given us!”

MILLER.
“I given you! Do you suppose I did it out of a joke, or voluntarily?”

MRS. ROBERTS.
“Aunty, I don’t know what to say to you. YOU ought to have been here long ago, before anything happened.”

MRS. CRASHAW.
“Oh, I can explain everything in due season. What I wish you to do now is to let me get at Willis, and kiss him.” As CAMPBELL submits to her embrace: “You dear, good fellow! If it hadn’t been for your presence of mind, I don’t know how we should ever have got out of that horrid pen.”

MRS. CURWEN,
giving him her hand: “As it isn’t proper for ME to kiss you”

CAMPBELL.
“Well, I don’t know. I don’t wish to be TOO modest.”

MRS. CURWEN.
“I think I shall have to vote you a service of plate.”

MRS. ROBERTS.
“Come and look at the pattern of mine. And, Willis, as you are the true hero of the occasion, you shall take me in to dinner. And I am not going to let anybody go before you.” She seizes his arm, and leads the way from the landing into the apartment. ROBERTS LAWTON, and BEMIS follow stragglingly.

MRS. MILLER,
getting her husband to one side: “When she fainted, she fainted AT you, of course! What did you do?”

MILLER.
“Who? I! Oh!” After a moment’s reflection: “She came to!”

CURWEN,
getting his wife aside: “When you fainted, Caroline, who revived you?”

MRS. CURWEN.
“Who? ME? Oh! How should I know? I was insensible.” They wheel arm in arm, and meet MR. and MRS. MILLER in the middle. MRS. CURWEN yields precedence with an ironical courtesy: “After you, Mrs. Miller!”

MRS. MILLER,
in a nervous, inimical twitter: “Oh, before the heroine of the lost elevator?”

MRS. CURWEN,
dropping her husband’s arm, and taking MRS. MILLER’S: “Let us split the difference.”

MRS. MILLER.
“Delightful! I shall never forget the honor.”

MRS. CURWEN.
“Oh, don’t speak of honors! Mr. Miller was SO kind through all those terrible scenes in the elevator.”

MRS. MILLER.
“I’ve no doubt you showed yourself duly grateful.” They pass in, followed by their husbands.

YOUNG MR. BEMIS,
timidly: “Miss Lawton, in the elevator you asked me not to leave you. Did you–ah–mean–I MUST ask you; it may be my only chance; if you meant–never?”

MISS LAWTON,
dropping her head: “I–I–don’t–know.”

YOUNG MR. BEMIS.
“But if I WISHED never to leave you, should you send me away?”

MISS LAWTON,
with a shy, sly upward glance at him: “Not in the elevator!”

YOUNG MR. BEMIS.
“Oh!”

MRS. ROBERTS,
re-appearing at the door: “Why, you good-for-nothing young things, why don’t you come to–Oh! excuse me!” She re-enters precipitately, followed by her tardy guests, on whom she casts a backward glance of sympathy. “Oh, you NEEDN’T hurry!”