_Mrs. Telfer._
[_To Arthur._] Sit down!
_Arthur._
Eh?
_Mrs. Telfer._
You finished long ago. Sit down.
_Arthur._
Thank you. I'm exceedingly sorry. Great Heavens, how wretchedly I've
done it!
[_He sits, burying his head in his hands. More applause._]
_Telfer._
Rose. my child.
[_Rose starts to her feet. The rest rise with her, and cheer again, and
wave handkerchiefs. She goes from one to the other, round the table,
embracing and kissing and crying over them all excitedly. Sarah is
kissed, but upon Ablett is bestowed only a handshake, to his evident
dissatisfaction. Imogen runs to the piano and strikes up the air of
"Ever of Thee." When Rose gets back to the place she mounts her chair,
with the aid of Tom and Telfer, and faces them with flashing eyes. They
pull the flowers out of the vases and throw them at her._]
_Rose._
Mr. Telfer, Mrs. Telfer! My friends! Boys! Ladies and gentlemen! No,
don't stop, Jenny! go on! [_Singing, her arms stretched out to them._]
"Ever of thee I'm fondly dreaming, Thy gentle voice." You remember! the
song I sang in The Peddler of Marseilles--which made Arthur fall in love
with me! Well, I know I shall dream of you, of all of you, very often,
as the song says. Don't believe [_wiping away her tears_], oh, don't
believe that, because I shall have married a swell, you and the old
"Wells"--the dear old "Wells"!----
[_Cheers._]
_Rose._
You and the old "Wells" will have become nothing to me! No, many and
many a night you will see me in the house, looking down at you from the
Circle--me and my husband----
_Arthur._
Yes, yes, certainly!
_Rose._
And if you send for me I'll come behind the curtain to you, and sit with
you and talk of bygone times, these times that end to-day. And shall
I tell you the moments which will be the happiest to me in my life,
however happy I may be with Arthur? Why, whenever I find that I am
recognized by people, and pointed out--people in the pit of a theatre,
in the street, no matter where; and when I can fancy they're saying
to each other, "Look! that was Miss Trelawny! you remember--Trelawny!
Trelawny of the 'Wells!'"----
[_They cry "Trelawny!" and "Trelawny of the 'Wells!'" and again
"Trelawny!" wildly. Then there is the sound of a sharp rat-tat at the
front door. Imogen leaves the piano and looks out of the window._]
_Imogen._
[_To somebody below._] What is it?
_A Voice._
Miss Trelawny, ma'am. We can't wait.
_Rose._
[_Weakly._] Oh, help me down----
[_They assist her, and gather round her._]