"Hear the sledges with the bells,
Sil-ver bells!"
Very silvery, don't you see?
Stella. Oh, yes! excuse me. (Reads in a very silly tone.)
"Hear the sledges with the bells,
Silver bells!"
Festus. Oh, no, no! that's too silly.
Stella. Sir!
Festus. I mean, there's too much of the sil in silver. (Repeats his reading. She imitates it.)
Festus. Ah! that's better. Thank you: you are charming. (She looks at him.) That is, a charming reader. Go on.
Stella. (Reads.)
"What a world of merriment their melody foretells!
How they tinkle"—
Festus. (Interrupting.) I beg your pardon: "twinkle."
Stella. No, sir: "tinkle."
Festus. But I am sure it is "twinkle."
Stella. Can't I believe my own eyes?
Festus. Not unless they "twinkle."
Stella. Look for yourself. (Shows him the book.)
Festus. My stars! it is "tinkle." I beg your pardon. Go on.
Stella.
"How they tinkle, tinkle, tinkle,
In the icy air"—
Festus. No, no: frosty,—frosty air.
Stella. No, sir: it's icy air.
Festus. You are mistaken: "frosty."
Stella. Am I? Look for yourself.
Festus. Well, I declare! It is, I see, icy. I beg your pardon. Go on.
Stella. I see, I see. You are bent on interrupting me. What do you mean, sir?
Festus. What can you expect, if you don't know how to read?
Stella. Sir, this is provoking. I don't know how to read?
Festus. Not "The Bells," I know.
Stella. Oh! do you? Well, sir, I know you are no gen-
