t case you have the preference. Why, I'm quite a chicken by the
side of you.

COX.

Pooh, sir.

BOX.

Well, if you don't like "chicken" I'll say gosling.

COX.

Don't be absurd, sir. At what age were you born?

BOX.

What's that to you? I'm six years younger than you, whatever you are.

COX.

So am I. So you speak first.

BOX.

This is absurd. I'm only a visitor. You're a resident.

COX.

No I'm not. I'm only _ong parsong_.

BOX.

Ong Parsong? Why, you don't mean to say you've become a clergyman?
Archbishop Cox, I congratulate you.

(_Our two curates, who are among the audience, see the joke and laugh
sweetly._)

COX.

Don't be a fool. Are you stopping here?

BOX.

Well, that depends. Are _you_?

COX.

Well--(_shrugging his shoulders and stretching out his hands_).

BOX.

Ah! (_imitates action_) That's exactly my case.

COX.

It's time for me to go out and take the waters. You've taken mine for
me.

BOX.

If you don't feel any better after it than I do--What's the effect of
the waters?

COX (_aside_).

I'll frighten him. (_Aloud_) If you're unaccustomed to them--poisonous.

BOX.

Good gracious! The first draught then is--

COX.

Fatal. Deadly.

BOX.

Then you don't have much chance of getting accustomed to it. You look
very well.

COX.

Yes. I could have taken that glass with impunity. It was my eighteenth
tumbler.

BOX.

Then I'm safe. I began with the eighteenth. Aha! I shall smoke a cigar
and read the paper.

COX (_aside_).

The paper!

BOX.

Don't stop for me. (_Aside_) I wonder if he's seen the news.

COX (_aside_).

He mustn't know she's here. He's got it. (_Seeing BOX reading the
paper._) Would you allow me to look at the paper?

BOX.

There's nothing in it.

COX (_coming up to table and putting his hand suddenly down on it_).

Sir!

BOX (_taking no notice_).

Come in.

COX.

No, sir, I shall not come in. I'm going to come out, sir, and come out
pretty strongly too. (_Suddenly pathetic_) Box, my boy--

BOX (_the same_).

Cox, my boy. (_Turns and allows the smoke of his pipe to come under
COX'S nose just as COX is attempting to take the paper._)

COX (_sneezing_).

Excuse my emotion (_sneezes_).

BOX.

It does honour to your head and heart--specially to your head. (_Offers
his pocket-handkerchief._)

COX.

Thank you. I can't forget that we were once brothers.

BOX.

We were.

COX.

We had no secrets from ea