MRS. D. [_hurriedly_]. Oh, thank you so much--I won"t trouble you to do that.
COLONEL. No trouble at all, madam, I a.s.sure you. It won"t take a moment.
Sergeant-Major!
MRS. P. Oh, how exciting!
MRS. D. Be quiet, Mrs. Pringle. _Pray_ don"t trouble, Colonel--I think he is very comfortable where he is, thank you.
COLONEL. Just as you wish, madam--but if we can"t do anything for you I think we had better be moving on. Sergeant-Major!
SERGEANT-MAJOR. Yes, Colonel.
COLONEL. Fall in the regiment.
SERGEANT-MAJOR. Regiment! Fall in! [_They fall in and stand at ease._
COLONEL. Attention! Right turn. Quick march! [_Exeunt._
MRS. D. What a dreadful man!
MRS. P. Oh, did you think so? I thought him so pleasant.
MRS. D. Why, what"s Humpty doing?
[_HUMPTY rolls over and faces the audience._
HUMPTY. Phew! I felt rather anxious then--I thought I should have to get up----
MRS. D. Get up! But can you get up, my poppet? [_HUMPTY sits up._
HUMPTY. Of course I can, if I like--only it was such fun having them all crowding round and pulling at me.
MRS. P. Well, I never! It would have served you quite right if they had blown you up as they said.
MRS. D. How hard you are on the poor child, Mrs. Pringle.
MRS. P. My Billy would never have done such a thing.
HUMPTY. Of course he wouldn"t--he"s much too stupid.
MRS. P. Stupid! Not he--he"s got too much sense to go falling off a wall just when a procession was coming. I shall go home and tell him what you did.
HUMPTY. And mind you tell him that all the King"s horses and all the King"s men couldn"t pick Humpty Dumpty up again--till he chose!
[_Gets up._
CURTAIN
[Ill.u.s.tration: 8. HUMPTY DUMPTY.
Humpty Dumpty sat on a wall. Humpty Dumpty had a great fall. All the King"s horses and all the King"s men, could"nt pick Humpty Dumpty up again.]