_Tom._
[_Coming to her._] Yes?
[_Colpoys and Gadd move away, arguing._]
_Imogen._
[_Seating herself._] Mr. Gadd and Mr. Colpoys shall sit by me, one on
each side.
[_Colpoys sits on Imogen's right, Gadd on her left, Avonia sits between
Tom and Gadd; Mrs. Mossop on the right of Colpoys. Amid much chatter,
the viands are carved by Mrs. Mossop, Telfer, and Tom. Some plates of
chicken, etc., are handed round by Ablett, while others are passed about
by those at the table._]
_Gadd._
[_Quietly to Imogen, during a pause in the hubbub._] Telfer takes the
chair, you observe. Why _he_--more than myself, for instance?
_Imogen._
[_To Gadd._] The Telfers have lent their room----
_Gadd._
Their stuffy room I that's no excuse. I repeat, Telfer has thrust
himself into this position.
_Imogen._
He's the oldest man present.
_Gadd._
True. And he begins to age in his acting too. His H's! scarce as pearls!
_Imogen._
Yes, that's shocking. Now, at the Olympic, slip an H and you're damned
for ever.
_Gadd._
And he's losing all his teeth. To act with him, it makes the house seem
half empty.
[_Ablett is now going about pouring out the ale. Occasionally he drops
his glove, misses it, and recovers it._]
_Telfer._
[_To Imogen._] Miss Parrott, my dear, follow the counsel of one who has
sat at many a "good man's feast"--have a little 'am.
_Imogen._