[_She and BOB P. pass on, laughing._

_Culch._ (_following_). She only affects this vulgar flippancy to
torment me. If I didn't know _that_--There, I've left that infernal
pot behind now!

[_Goes back for it, wrathfully._

_In the Amphitheatre; Miss PRENDERGAST, PODBURY, and VAN
BOODELER, are seated on an upper tier._

_Podb._ (_meditatively_). I suppose they charged highest for the
lowest seats. Wonder whether a lion ever nipped up and helped himself
to some fat old buffer in the Stalls when the martyrs turned out a
leaner lot than usual!

_Van. B._ There's an ingenuous modernity about our friend's historical
speculations that is highly refreshing.

_Miss P._ There is, indeed--though he might have spared himself and
_us_ the trouble of them if he had only remembered that the _podium_
was invariably protected by a railing, and occasionally by _euripi_,
or trenches. You surely learnt that at school. Mr. PODBURY?

_Podb._ I--I daresay. Forgotten all I learnt at school, you know!

_Van. B._ I should infer now, from that statement, that you enjoyed
the advantages of a pretty liberal education?

_Podb._ If that's meant to be cutting. I should save it up for that
novel of yours; it may seem smart--_there_!

_Miss P._ Really, Mr. PODBURY, if you choose to resent a playful
remark in that manner, you had better go away.

_Podb._ Perhaps I had. (_Rises, and moves off huffily_). D---- his
playfulness! 'Pon my word, poor old CULCHARD was _nothing_ to
that beggar! And she backs him up! But there--it's all part of my
probation! (_Here CULCHARD suddenly appears, laden with burdens._)
Hullo! are you _moving_, or what?

_Culch._ I am merely carrying a few things for Miss TROTTER. (_Drops
the copper pot, which bounds down into the arena._) Dash the thing!...
(_Returning with it_.) It's natural that, in my position, I should
have these--er--privileges. (_He trips over a blanket._) Conf--Have
you happened to see Miss TROTTER about, by the way?

_Podb._ Fancy I saw her down below just now--with BOB. I expect
they're walking round under the arches.

_Culch._ Just so. Do you know, PODBURY, I almost think I'll go down
and find her. I--I'm curious to hear what her impressions of a place
like this are. Such a scene, you know,--so full of associations
with--er--the splendours and cruelties of a corrupt past--must produce
a powerful effect upon the fresh untutored mind of an American girl,
eh?

_Miss T.'s voic