[Scene—The Studio.]

“The six months will be up at two o'clock to-day! Oh, agony! My life is
blighted. I would that I were dead. I had no supper yesterday. I have had no
breakfast to-day. I dare not enter an eating-house. And hungry?—don't mention
it! My bootmaker duns me to death—my tailor duns me—my landlord haunts
me. I am miserable. I haven't seen John since that awful day. She smiles on
me tenderly when we meet in the great thoroughfares, but her old flint of a father
makes her look in the other direction in short order. Now who is knocking at
that door? Who is come to persecute me? That malignant villain the bootmaker,
I'll warrant. Come in!”

“Ah, happiness attend your highness—Heaven be propitious to your grace! I
have brought my lord's new boots—ah, say nothing about the pay, there is no hurry,
none in the world. Shall be proud if my noble lord will continue to honor me with
his custom—ah, adieu!”

“Brought the boots himself! Don't want his pay! Takes his leave with a bow
and a scrape fit to honor majesty withal! Desires a continuance of my custom!
Is the world coming to an end? Of all the—come in!”

“Pardon, signor, but I have brought your new suit of clothes for—”

“Come in!!”

“A thousand pardons for this intrusion, your worship! But I have prepared
the beautiful suite of rooms below for you—this wretched den is but ill suited
to—”

“Come in!!!”

“I have called to say that your credit at our bank, sometime since unfortunately
interrupted, is entirely and most satisfactorily restored, and we shall be most happy
if you will draw upon us for any—”

“Come in!!!!”

[figure description] Page 226.[end figure description]

“My noble boy, she is yours! She'll be here in a moment! Take her—marry
her—love her—be happy!—God bless you both! Hip, hip, hur—”

“COME IN!!!!!”

“Oh, George, my own darling, we are saved!”

“Oh, Mary, my own darling, we are saved—but I'll swear I don't know why nor
how!”