Nicholas murmured a jest about his being an author, and thought it best not to go through the form of feeling in his own pockets at all.
'Let me see,' said Mr Curdle; 'twice four's eight--four shillings a-piece to the boxes, Miss Snevellicci, is exceedingly dear in the present state of the drama--three half-crowns is seven-and-six; we shall not differ about sixpence, I suppose?
Sixpence will not part us, Miss Snevellicci ?' Poor Miss Snevellicci took the three half-crowns, with many smiles and bends, and Mrs Curdle, adding several supplementary directions relative to keeping the places for them, and dusting the seat, and sending two clean bills as soon as they came out, rang the bell, as a signal for breaking up the conference.
'Odd people those,' said Nicholas, when they got clear of the house.
'I assure you,' said Miss Snevellicci, taking his arm, 'that I think myself very lucky they did not owe all the money instead of being sixpence short.

Now, if you were to succeed, they would give people to understand that they had always patronised you; and if you were to fail, they would have been quite certain of that from the very beginning.' At the next house they visited, they were in great glory; for, there, resided the six children who were so enraptured with the public actions of the phenomenon, and who, being called down from the nursery to be treated with a private view of that young lady, proceeded to poke their fingers into her eyes, and tread upon her toes, and show her many other little attentions peculiar to their time of life.
'I shall certainly persuade Mr Borum to take a private box,' said the lady of the house, after a most gracious reception.

'I shall only take two of the children, and will make up the rest of the party, of gentlemen--your admirers, Miss Snevellicci.

Augustus, you naughty boy, leave the little girl alone.' This was addressed to a young gentleman who was pinching the phenomenon behind, apparently with a view of ascertaining whether she was real.
'I am sure you must be very tired,' said the mama, turning to Miss Snevellicci.

'I cannot think of allowing you to go, without first taking a glass of wine.