e out mosquitoes.
(_The pastille fizzes, and begins to emit a dense white smoke, and a
suffocating odour._)

_Podb._ (_bounding_). Mosquitoes! It would drive a _dragon_ out.
Phew--ah! (_CULCHARD closes the window._) You _don't_ mean to say
you're going to shut me up in this infernal reek on a stifling night
like this?

_Culch._ If I didn't, the mosquitoes would come in again.

_Podb._ Come in? With that pastille doing the young Vesuvius! _Do_ you
think a mosquito's a born fool? (_He jumps out and opens the window._)
I'm not going to be smoked like a wasps' nest, _I_ can tell you!

_Culch._ (_calmly shutting it again, as PODBURY returns to bed_).
You'll be grateful to me by-and-by.

[_Slips between his mosquito-curtains in a gingerly manner,
and switches off the electric light. A silence._

_Podb._ I say, you ain't asleep, are you? Think we shall see anything
of them to-morrow, eh?

_Culch._ See? I can _hear_ one singing in my ear at this moment.
(_Irritably._) You _would_ open the window!

_Podb._ (_sleepily_). Not mosquitoes. I meant HYPATIA, and
the--haw--yaw--TROTTERS.

_Culch._ How can _I_ tell? (_Second silence._) PODBURY! What did
I _tell_ you? One's just bitten me--the _beast_! (_He turns on the
light, and slaps about frantically_). I say, I can hear him buzzing
all over the place!

_Podb._ So can I hear _you_ buzzing. How the dickens is a fellow to
get to sleep while you're playing Punch and Judy in there?

_Culch._ He's got me on the nose now! There's a lot outside. Just turn
off the light, will you? I daren't put my arm out. (_To_ Mosquito.)
You brute! (_To_ Podb.) PODBURY, _do_ switch off the light--like a
good fellow!

_Podb._ (_dreamily_). Glass up, Gondolier ... stifling in this cab ...
drive me ... nearest Doge. [_He snores._

_Culch._ Brutal selfishness! (_Turns out the light himself._) Now if I
can only get off to sleep while that little beast is quiet--

_Mosquito_ (_ironically, in his ear_). Ping-a-wing-wing!

_Same Scene; the next morning._

_Culch._ (_drawing PODBURY's curtains_). Here, wake up,
PODBURY--it's just eight. (_PODBURY sits up, and rubs his eyes._) I've
had a _horrible_ night, my dear fellow! I'm stung to such an extent!
But (_hopefully_) I suppose there's nothing to _show_ particularly,
eh? [_Presenting his countenance for inspection._

_Podb._ Not much of your original features, old fellow! (_He roars
with laughter._) You've got a pair of cheeks like