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BOX AND COX.
| Box. | Besides, it was all Mrs. Bouncer's fault, sir. |
| Cox. | Entirely, sir. [Gradually approaching chairs.] |
| Box. | Very well, sir! |
| Cox. | Very well, sir! [Pause.] |
| Box. | Take a bit of roll, sir? |
| Cox. | Thank ye, sir. [Breaking a bit off.Pause.] |
| Box. | Do you sing, sir? |
| Cox. | I sometimes join in a chorus. |
| Box. | Then give us a chorus. [Pause.] Have you seen the Bosjemans, sir? |
| Cox. | No, sir—my wife wouldn't let me. |
| Box. | Your wife! |
| Cox. | That is—my intended wife. |
| Box. | Well, that's the same thing! I congratulate you! [Shaking hands.] |
| Cox. | [With a deep sigh.] Thank ye. [Seeing Box about to get up.] You needn't disturb yourself, sir. She won't come here. |
| Box. | Oh! I understand. You've got a snug little establisliment of your own here—on the sly—cunning dog—[Nudging Cox.] |
| Cox. | [Drawing himself up.] No such thing, sir—I repeat, sir—no such thing, sir, but my wife—I mean, my intended wife—happens to be the proprietor of a considerable number of bathing machines |
| Box. | [Suddenly.] Ha! Where? [Grasping Cox's arm.] |
| Cox. | At a favorite watering-place. How curious you are! |
| Box. | Not at all. Well? |
| Cox. | Consequently, in the bathing season—which luckily is rather a long one—we see but little of each other; but as that is now over, I am daily indulging in the expectation of being blessed with the sight of my beloved. [Very seriously.] Are you married? |
| Box. | Me? Why—not exactly! |
| Cox. | Ah—a happy bachelor? |
| Box. | Why—not—precisely! |
| Cox. | Oh! a—widower? |
| Box. | No—not absolutely! |
| Cox. | You'll excuse me, sir—but, at present, I don't exactly understand how you can help being one of the three. |
| Box. | Not help it? |
| Cox. | No, sir—not you, nor any other man alive! |
