applause. "You'd make a good actor, a holy good actor.
You got a way with you. Coquelin, Salvini, Bernhardt! Voila, you're just
as good! Bagosh, I'd like to see you on the stage."

"So would I," said Larue. "I think you could play a house full in
no time and make much cash--I think you could. Don't you think so,
Luzanne?"

Luzanne laughed. "He can act very first-class, I'm sure," she said,
and she turned and looked Carnac in the eyes. She was excited, she was
handsome, she was slim and graceful, and Carnac felt towards her as he
did the day at the studio, as though he'd like to kiss her. He knew it
was not real, but it was the man in him and the sex in her.

For an hour and a half the lunch went on, all growing gayer, and then
at last Ingot said: "Well, I'm going to have a play now here, and Carnac
Grier shall act, and we all shall act. We're going to have a wedding
ceremony between M'sieu' Grier and Luzanne--but, hush, why not!" he
added, when Luzanne shook her finger at him, and said she'd do nothing
of the kind, having, however, agreed to it beforehand. "Why not! There's
nothing in it. They'll both be married some day and it will be good
practice for them. They can learn now how to do it. It's got to be
done--but yes. I'll find a Judge in the village. Come now, hands up,
those that will do it."

With a loud laugh Larue held up his hand, Carnac, who was half-drunk,
did the same, and after a little hesitation Luzanne also.

"Good--a gay little comedy, that's what it is. I'm off for the Judge,"
and away went Ingot hard afoot, having already engaged a Judge, called
Grimshaw, in the village near to perform the ceremony. When he had
gone, Larue went off to smoke and Luzanne and Carnac cleared up the
lunch-things and put all away in the baskets. When it was finished,
Carnac and Luzanne sat down under a tree and talked cheerfully, and
Luzanne was never so effective as she was that day. They laughed over
the mock ceremony to be performed.

"I'm a Catholic, you know," said Luzanne, "and it isn't legal in my
church with no dispensation to be married to a Protestant like you. But
as it is, what does it matter!"

"Well, that's true," said Carnac. "I suppose I ought to be acting the
lover now; I ought to be kissing you, oughtn't I?"

"As an actor, yes, but as a man, better not unless others are present.
Wait till the others come. Wait for witnesses, so that it can look like
the real thing.

"See, there they come now."