MR. POSKET.

You are an excellent servant, Wyke; I am very pleased. I will see you when you return from Lady Jenkins's. Be quick.

WYKE.

Yes, sir. [_To himself._] He won't give me twopence again in a hurry.

[_He goes out; LUGG is about to follow._

MR. POSKET.

Oh, Lugg, I want you to go to the nearest hosier's and purchase me a neat cravat.

LUGG.

[_Looking inquisitively at MR. POSKET._] A necktie, sir?

MR. POSKET.

Yes. [_Turning up his coat collar to shield himself from LUGG'S gaze._] A necktie--a necktie.

LUGG.

What sort of a kind of one, sir?

MR. POSKET.

Oh, one like Mr. Wormington's.

LUGG.

One like he's wearing this morning, sir?

MR. POSKET.

Of course, of course, of course.

LUGG.

[_To himself._] Fancy him being jealous of Mr. Wormington, now. Very good, sir--what price, sir?

MR. POSKET.

The best. [_To himself._] There now, I've no money. [_Seeing the packet on table._] Oh, pay for it with this, Lugg.

LUGG.

Yes, sir.

MR. POSKET.

And keep the change for your trouble.

LUGG.

Thank you, sir; thank you, sir--very much obliged to you, sir. [_To himself._] That's like a liberal gentleman.

[_LUGG goes out as MR. WORMINGTON enters through the curtains with the charge sheet in his hand. MR. WORMINGTON, on seeing MR. POSKET, uneasily tucks his pocket-handkerchief in his collar so as to hide his necktie._

MR. WORMINGTON.

H'm! Good morning.

MR. POSKET.

Good morning, Wormington.

MR. WORMINGTON.

The charge sheet.

MR. POSKET.

Sit down.

[_MR. WORMINGTON puts on his spectacles; MR. POSKET also attempts to put on his spectacles, but hurts the bridge of his nose, winces, and desists._

MR. POSKET.

[_To himself._] My nose is extremely painful. [_To MR. WORMINGTON._]

You have a bad cold I am afraid, Wormington--bronchial?

MR. WORMINGTON.

Ahem! Well--ah--the fact is--you may have noticed how very chilly the nights are.

MR. POSKET.

Very, very.

MR. WORMINGTON.

The only way to maintain the circulation is to run as fast as one can.

MR. POSKET.

To run--as fast as one can--yes--quite so.