From this moment I make no
difficulties. I take any part you choose to give me, so as it be comic. Let it
but be comic, I condition for nothing more.«
    For about the fifth time he then proposed the Heir at Law, doubting only
whether to prefer Lord Duberley or Dr. Pangloss for himself, and very earnestly,
but very unsuccessfully, trying to persuade the others that there were some fine
tragic parts in the rest of the Dramatis Personæ.
    The pause which followed this fruitless effort was ended by the same
speaker, who taking up one of the many volumes of plays that lay on the table,
and turning it over, suddenly exclaimed, »Lovers' Vows! And why should not
Lovers' Vows do for us as well as for the Ravenshaws? How came it never to be
thought of before? It strikes me as if it would do exactly. What say you all? -
Here are two capital tragic parts for Yates and Crawford, and here is the
rhyming butler for me - if nobody else wants it - a trifling part, but the sort
of thing I should not dislike, and as I said before, I am determined to take any
thing and do my best. And as for the rest, they may be filled up by any body. It
is only Count Cassel and Anhalt.«
    The suggestion was generally welcome. Every body was growing weary of
indecision, and the first idea with every body was, that nothing had been
proposed before so likely to suit them all. Mr. Yates was particularly pleased;
he had been sighing and longing to do the Baron at Ecclesford, had grudged every
rant of Lord Ravenshaw's, and been forced to re-rant it all in his own room. To
storm through Baron Wildenhaim was the height of his theatrical ambition, and
with the advantage of knowing half the scenes by heart already, he did now with
the greatest alacrity offer his services for the part. To do him justice,
however, he did not resolve to appropriate it - for remembering that there was
some very good ranting ground in Frederick, he professed an equal willingness
for that. Henry Crawford was ready to take either. Whichever Mr. Yates did not
choose, would perfectly satisfy him, and a short parley of compliment ensued.
Miss Bertram feeling all the interest of an Agatha in the question, took on her
to decide it, by observing to Mr. Yates, that this was a point in which height
and figure ought to be considered, and that his being the tallest, seemed to fit
him peculiarly for