"Could he go as a cook, d'you think?" said Daphne. "A
chef-thing, I mean. They had cooks, of course. Or a
wine-butler? They must have had- "

"Or a birthright?" said Berry. "We know they had birthrights.
And I'd sooner be a birthright than a wine-cooler any day.
Besides, Jonah could go as a mess of pottage. There's an idea
for you. Talk about originality!"

"Originality!" said his wife contemptuously." Studied
imbecility, you mean. Anyone can originate drivel."

"It's in the blood," said Jonah. "One of his uncles was a Master
in Lunacy."

I laid down my pen and leaned back in my chair.

"It comes to this," said I. "Whatever he goes as, he'll play the
fool. Am I right, sir? "

"Yes," said every one."

"(A voice,'Shame')," said Berry.

"Consequently he must be given a part which he can clown without
queering the whole scene."

"Exactly," said Daphne."