Mr.Jones didn't promise that till nine o'clock, and it haven't gone eight." "It won't be long," quoth they; "its on it's road.

We'll go up to his lordship's room, please, and be getting ready for it." The girl called the butler.

"Two men from Jones', the undertaker's, sir," announced she.

"The shell's coming on and they want to go up and make ready for it." The butler marshaled them upstairs himself, and introduced them to the room.

"That will do," said they, as he was about to enter with them, "we won't trouble you to wait." And closing the door upon the unsuspicious butler, they took up their station on either side of the dead, like a couple of ill-omened mutes.