o this for me; for I will not so
much as let her point a finger at you.

SERVANT.--Please, please let me off!

HUSBAND.--Gracious goodness! The fellow heeds what my wife says, and
won't heed what I say myself! Do you mean that you have made up your
mind to brave me?

[_Threatening to beat him._

SERVANT.--Oh! I will obey.

HUSBAND.--No, no! you mean to brave me!

SERVANT.--Oh no, sir! surely I have no choice but to obey.

HUSBAND.--Really and truly?

SERVANT.--Yes, really and truly.

HUSBAND.--My anger was only a feint. Well, then, take my place,
please.

SERVANT.--Yes, to be sure; if it is your desire, I will do so.

HUSBAND.--That is really too delightful. Just stop quiet while I set
things to rights for you to sit in abstraction.

SERVANT.--Your commands are laid to heart.

HUSBAND.--Sit down here.

SERVANT.--Oh! what an unexpected honor!

HUSBAND.--Now, then; I fear it will be uncomfortable, but oblige me by
putting your head under this "abstraction blanket."

SERVANT.--Your commands are laid to heart.

HUSBAND.--Well, it is scarcely necessary to say so; but even if my old
woman should tell you to take off the abstraction blanket, be sure not
to do so until my return.

SERVANT.--Of course not. I should not think of taking it off. Pray
don't be alarmed.

HUSBAND.--I will be back soon.

SERVANT.--Please be good enough to return quickly.

HUSBAND.--Ah! that is well over! No doubt Hana is waiting impatiently
for me. I will make haste and go.

WIFE.--I am mistress of this house. I perfectly understood my partner
the first time he asked me not to come to him on account of the
religious devotion which he was going to perform. But there is
something suspicious in his insisting on it a second time with a
"Don't come to look at me! don't come to look at me!" So I will just
peep through some hidden corner, and see what the thing looks like.
[_Peeping._] What's this? Why, it seems much more uncomfortable than I
had supposed! [_Coming in and drawing near._] Please, please; you told
me not to come to you, and therefore I had intended not to do so; but
I felt anxious, and so I have come. Won't you lift off that
"abstraction blanket," and take something, if only a cup of tea, to
unbend your mind a little? [_The figure under the blanket shakes its
head._] You are quite right. The thought of my being so disobedient
and coming to you after the care you took to tell me not to intrude
may justly rouse