"What terms d'ye make ?" he inquired, but his tone was very cold.

His busy brain was endeavoring to conjecture what exactly might be Mr.Caryll's object in this frankness which Mr.Green was not fool enough to believe sincere.
"Ah," said Mr.Caryll.

"That is more the man I know." He tapped his snuff-box, and in that moment memory rather than inspiration showed him the thing he needed.

"Did ye ever see 'The Constant Couple,' Mr.Green ?" he inquired.
"'The Constant Couple' ?" echoed Mr.Green, and though mystified, he must air his little jest.

"I never saw any couple that was constant--leastways, not for long." "Ha! Ye're a roguish wag! But 'The Constant Couple' I mean is a play." "Oh, a play! Ay, I mind me I saw it some years ago, when 'twas first acted.