s he, `you've a deal to learn.' `And so have
you, young man,' says I. Bless you, he took it as pleasant as could be,
and I've liked him ever since."

He turned to Bella Greenways, who had just entered.

"And what's _your_ place in the programme, Miss Greenways?"

Bella always avoided speaking to the cobbler if she could, for while she
despised him as a "low" person, she feared his opinion, and knew that he
disapproved of her. She now put on her most mincing air as she replied:

"Agnetta and me's to play a duet, the `Edinburgh Quadrilles,' and Mr
Buckle accompanies on the drum and triangle."

"Why, you'd better fall in too with the clar'net, Mr Snell," suggested
Mr Dimbleby. "That'd make a fine thing of it with four instruments."

Joshua shook his head solemnly.

"Mine's a solo," he said. "A sacred one: `Sound the loud timbrel o'er
Egypt's dark sea.' That'll give a variety."

"Mr Buckle's going to recite a beautiful thing," put in Bella: "`The
Dream of Eugene Aram'. He's been practising it ever so long. He's
going to do it with action."

"I don't know as I can make much of that reciting," said Joshua
doubtfully. "Now a good tune, or a song, or a bit of reading, I can
take hold of and carry along, but it's poor sport to see a man twist
hisself, and make mouths, and point about at nothing at all. I remember
the first time the curate did it. He stares straight at me for a
second, and then he shakes his fist and shouts out suddenly: `Wretch!'
or `Villain!' or summat of that sort. I was so taken aback I nearly got
up and went out. Downright uncomfortable I was."

"It's all the fashion now. But of course," said Bella disdainfully, "it
isn't everybody as is used to it. I'm sure it's beautiful to hear
Charlie! It makes your blood run cold. There's a part where he has to
speak it in a sort of a hissing whisper. He's afraid the back seats
won't hear."

"And a good thing for 'em," muttered Joshua. "It's bad enough to see a
man make a fool of hisself without having to hear him as well."

"But after all," continued Bella, without noticing this remark, "it's
only the gentry as matter much, and they'll be in the two front rows.
Mrs Leigh's going to bring some friends."

"And what's Lilac White going to do?" said Joshua, turning round with
sudden sharpness. "She used to sing the prettiest of 'em all at
school."

"Oh, I dare say she'll sing in the part songs with the other children,"
said Bella carele