T0BY-D0G, (_shuddering_)

Things are coming to an awful pass! (_He drags himself to the porch_.)_What_ have they done to the out-of-doors? Look! the trees are all blackand the grass glistens like a sheet of water. What mournful sunlight! Itshines black on the slate roofs, and the little houses over there on thehill look like brand quite new tombstones. A very heavy odor, like bitter almond,creeps from the black bell-shaped blossoms of the daturas, and makes mefeel sick and faint. Far away, some smoke, very heavy as the perfume of thedaturas, goes sluggyly up in a straight line and falls again--like abroken aigrette.... But come and see for yourself!

(KIKI-THE-DEMURE _walks falteringly to the porch_.)

T0BY-D0G