Avenue. "We read novels, if we read
them at all, for the fun of it, with some incidental information in the
right direction. When I was a young man I had a taste for the sea, as most
boys have, and I read Marryat's novels with immense pleasure. In 'The
King's Own,' after following the young fellow in his adventures all over
the world, his life terminated just as he was reaching home, and I was
disgusted. I have read most of this author's books again, but I never
looked into 'The King's Own' a second time."

"I think we all like to have a story 'end well,' though it was a rather
violent bringing up Saturday night," said Dr. Hawkes. "But the actresses in
that play were all exceedingly pretty girls, and I did not suppose so many
of them could be found in all India."

"That was just what I was saying to Govind after the performance, and he
laughed as though he would choke himself to death," interposed Lord
Tremlyn, laughing rather earnestly himself. "There was not a single female
on the stage; for the custom of the theatre here does not permit women to
appear, any more than it did in the time of Shakespeare."

"But I saw them!" exclaimed the surgeon. "I think I know a woman when I see
one, though I am an old bachelor, and rather a tough one at that."

"Not always, Doctor; for not one of those you call girls was a female. A
woman on the Hindu stage is a thing unknown," rallied the viscount.

"I suppose I must give it up, though I would not do so on any less
authority than that of your lordship," replied the surgeon good-naturedly.

All the rest of the party expressed their astonishment in terms hardly less
strong; and the ladies were even more incredulous than the gentlemen.

"As Govind told me, all the female parts were taken by boys remarkable for
their beauty and the sweetness of their voices," added his lordship. "But
this is understood to be our last day in Bombay, though the limitation of
time does not come from any suggestion of mine; and we must make the best
use of what remains. You have not half seen Bombay yet."

"We should need ten years for our trip if we were to exhaust every place we
visit," replied Captain Ringgold. "All we expect is to get a fair idea of a
city; and I think we have done that here, especially as we shall see the
same things, as far as manners and customs are concerned, many times before
we finally take our leave of the country at Colombo in Ceylon."

"While we are quietly seated here,