how
can I take him your message?

(_Enter_ REMBRANDT TEMPENNY _R_.)

REMBRANDT TEMPENNY (_briskly_).

Now, you understand, Susan, I am out to everyone, and if a Mr. Schercl
calls--(_seeing_ HENRICH SCHERCL--_aside_). Good gracious! (_Aloud_.)
Beg him to wait till I return--I want to see him.

HENRICH SCHERCL (_sardonically_).

He _is_ waiting, sir.

REMBRANDT TEMPENNY (_affecting surprise_).

My dear friend, how glad I am--how very glad! (_Aside_.) This is the
very devil! (_Aloud_.) All right, Susan, you can go.

HENRICH SCHERCL.

I want a leedle talk with you, my friend, without delay.

SUSAN (_aside_).

I hope the master'll enjoy himself, I'm sure! I did _my_ best for him
anyhow!

(_Exit L_.)

HENRICH SCHERCL.

Mr. Tempenny, I am here to demand an exblanation, sir--an exblanation
of your strange behaviour of yesterday. And there is something else,
sir. I find you are not Mr. Tempenny at all, sir, you are an imposter.

REMBRANDT TEMPENNY (_aside_).

He did take me for Tempenny R.A., Addison was right! (_Aloud_.) An
imposter, Mr. Schercl?

HENRICH SCHERCL.

Zertainly, sir. I took you for _the_ Mr. Tempenny--it was to _the_ Mr.
Tempenny, I brobosed to give my commission. You 'ave cheated me, you
fellow.

REMBRANDT TEMPENNY.

Now, now, take care! How was _I_ to know you took me for somebody else?
You came to me, and you made me an offer, and I accepted it. How could
I tell you thought I was another--I may say an _inferior_--Tempenny? I
say how could I know you were making a mistake?

HENRICH SCHERCL.

You knew it very well. I would not pay tree 'undred pounds to _you_!
What do you think I am--a fool? You 'ave obtained an order from me
under false pretences, do you hear. I say you 'ave robbed me.

REMBRANDT TEMPENNY.

Gently! gently! this is slander, old gentleman. It will cost you a good
deal _more_ than three hundred pounds if you aren't more guarded in
your remarks.

HENRICH SCHERCL (_spluttering_).

What?

REMBRANDT TEMPENNY.

It will really. I shall owe it to myself to have you up for slander,
and it would be a very good advertisement for me too.

HENRICH SCHERCL.

What! what! what!

REMBRANDT TEMPENNY.

A really excellent advertisement. And what a fool you'd look! Come,
come, you don't suppose your other Tempenny would have done you a work
of this size for three hundred, do you? Nor as good either? No, no! As
to the affair of yesterday, my wife was very much to blame--