ou and you can't help them, and
you would be an ideal wife."

Flora was actually silent with gratification. She did not even laugh.

"Look here, Flora, we'd better chuck the performance altogether. Let's
give it up, and have a show instead at St. George's, Hanover Square."

"Are you making fun of me?" she asked, in a trembling voice, "because
that would not be right. It wouldn't be nice of you--in fact, it would
be rather cruel."

"You don't mean to say you care for me the least little bit?" He took
both her hands and stared hard at her face. "Is there something real
about you then?" he continued.

Tears came to her eyes. She turned her head away.

"This seems too good to be true," she murmured.

"Let's be married," he cried, "on the day we were going to have the
show. Let's go to Oberammergau for our honeymoon, and don't let us ever
go near the theatre again. Will you, dear? Or am I dreaming?"

"Of course. I always have," she answered ingenuously; "but I hadn't a
scrap of hope, and I didn't know how much I cared for you."

"Dear Flora, I shall give up the stage and devote all my time to you."

"So will I," she said. "I shall never want to act again."

"Nor I, never--never!"

"I shall rush home and countermand everything," he cried.

"Oh, go not yet; it is not yet near day," she quoted in the tender voice
she used for recitation.

He burst into peals of laughter, and put his arms round her and kissed
her impetuously.

"Oh, Flora, what a fool I have been all this time! And you knew it--you
knew it perfectly well. I thought when we were rehearsing that once you
said the words, 'O Romeo, wherefore art _thou_ Romeo?' with rather
marked emphasis on the 'thou'...."

"Do you know that I never cared for any one but you in my life, Flora?"

"Oh, oh! Why is 'C. L.' tattooed on your wrist?"

"I'll have it taken out. I'll have Flora put on instead. I'll have
anything you like tattooed in your honour--a hunting scene, a snap-shot
of the Coronation--anything you like."

"No, please not. I don't like it; I can't bear it. It's the only thing I
ever haven't liked about you. But we'll forget it now, won't we?" she
said.

"And I'll forget the stage. Oh, Flora, how I have worried you! Forgive
me. We won't think of anything but each other now."

They repeated this sentiment again and again in these and other words
for about an hour and a half, and forgot to turn up lights and ring the
bell.

* * *