is simply preposterous. It is out of the question. I
may almost pronounce it like flying in the face of Providence. Remember,
you are still a sick man, and I am sponsor for your illness. Bear in
mind, you were taken out of the theatre as good as a dead one, in the
garb of _Claude Melnotte_."

"Yes; and thanks to that infernal Smith," interrupted Fogg, "the suit is
as good as ruined, with the stuff he spilt over it."

"There you go again. Why, you unthinking ingrate, only for that marked
feature of the episode, you might at this moment be laid up in the
hospital, if the stage hands, fiddlers, costumer, and bill-posters got
in their work. Instead of that, here you are where sympathizing friends
can visit you and hearken to your tale of woe. Don't you see," continued
Handy, "if you are met on the street people will be likely to draw their
own conclusions and regard last night's emergency illness as a fraud?
You know how uncharitable even the best of friends are at odd times.
While if you keep within doors and recover slowly, no such uncharitable
fancy can be conjured into existence. Besides, the time spent in
convalescence may be employed by that fertile brain of yours in devising
some scheme for the future. I never willingly was party to a fraud, but
when a friend gets into a bad box it becomes a human duty on the part of
another friend to help him out. The end in view justifies the means.
Friends don't go to that trouble, as a rule, but they ought to. Then you
must have some consideration for dramatic consistency. Even actors can
not burst blood-vessels with impunity over night and then go
gallivanting about town next day. And again, is all this fine
advertising you are going to get out of last night's realism to be
thrown away and go for nothing? Oh, no! I guess not! My dear Fogg, you
have got to be repaired before you are again seen in public."

Handy's eloquent and forcible argument convinced Fogg that a week
indoors was the proper course for him to pursue, and also be guided
solely by the veteran during his convalescence.

"Now, then, get to bed at once. You cannot tell who may get it into his
head to call upon you. It is more than likely that Draper will be here
after the _Melnotte_ outfit."

"Goodness gracious, I forgot all about that!" exclaimed Fogg.

"I thought so. Never overlook details. If you had traveled over this
broad land of the free and the home of the brave as extensively as I
have, you would rec