Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-03-26
CHAPTER XXI-Continued.

| Inc WOTO insisted SilppoO out, dHC
Anthony laughed. He would rather ii
had not. as it went considerable way tc
confessing that he had much to do with
the inviting Of the guests and the order
ing of the entertainment Mrs. " esterby
| did not matter as anybody else would
have done. They were both born knights
| Of the social road, and there was honor
| between them.
"Cammareigh adores other peoples re-
special ility. He fancies that it conceals
all his vices
| For one moment Mrs. Westerly hoped
that Anthony might become commune
cative on the subject of his reputet
father. but to her disappointment he
changed the conversations
| II dislike plots" he went on. but
am afraid that we shall have to use one
| just a very simple one"
| Il have no objection to plots" said
Mrs. Westerly. unless 1 am likely to be
| found out.
"They always seem to me a little
clumsy-the resource of the second-rate
conspirator-but then, as you say, we
| have SO little time
| What is your plot?"
| "Oh. it will be very much better if
keep it to myself till 1 want your assist
| ance."
Mrs. Westerly declared that she had
not the least objection; she would very
| much sooner be a tool in the hands of
one she trusted than be a leader-it saved
| so much trouble.
| Anthony enjoyed that chat in the
| haunted walk with her exceedingly.
| Il feel that we shall always be great
| friends" he said. land when you are a
duchess you will be able to do very
great deal to help me-"
I'm what way?'
r1il1 AM he
| with courtly bow, and a elaboration
which suggested the more effiorescent
| manners of an earlier period: You shall
be near me in my niche in history
That means that you are aiming at
playing a great part, and that this is
merely the beginning
Yes. Do you think you will recognize
the youth from nowhere in the states
man of the future?"
| She put her hand on his arm with a
gentle pressure of camaraderie
Il believe in you. and it is a privilege
to have heard the overture to your life s
| opera. and In the meantime l am very
anxious to see your Hamlet You don't
think him mad, do you?
Certainly not
Then how do you play him.
I'm sure I don't know. 1t will be a
beautiful performance, but l can't exactly
say that l ever had any views on the
subject. l simply understand him.
was to aid and abet Anthony in his per-
Torrance came over to rehearse. All the
women of the house-party had driven
some miles to join the guns at lunch.
They were no doubt at that moment be-
Ing inwardly mathematical for delaying
the intoxicating pleasure of Strengthening
defenseless animals. Anthony felt a
rousing of his Bohemian blood as he
looked around at the quaint assembly he
was entertaining at lunch: for even If a
theatrical dr. MN
from the educated classes-and there
| have been such theatrical combinations
| 1T always presents a motley appearance.
1t is probably because his profession
teaches him to develop all his physical
eccentricities. with the result that as a
| body actors exhibit a physical differen-
tiation which the IMMERSED might imagine
| to. be the. outward sign OF strongly
marked intellectually and character.
There Is one popularity about the actor,
and that is that nothing overawes him.
Perhaps it is that he views the grandest
surroundings merely as a more elaborate
stage setting to himself
They lunched in the magnificent ban
quoting hall with the greatest condescen-
sion. They abated not one whit Of their
effervescent spirits. and drank as much
champagne as they could get. Perhaps
they looked upon 1t as a huge joke, which
Anthony was perfectly content for them
10 DO till the rehearsal commenced, and
then. as he was paying an absurdly high
fee for their services, he kept them Sc
verely in hand.
He knows what he wants." murmured
the First Gravedigger. who, not being re-
quired till the last act, and having thor
oughly enjoyed the champagne. was
| seated at the extreme end of the hall, al
| ternately doing and conducting a critical
| conversation with Osric, who, being the
| was condemned to play the most super
| fetal character.
THE guv'nor must be getting a ire
mendous price for this he went on, land
personally. l don't mind-it will be a
| pleasant little outing"
! Rehearsal being over they had tea
| under shady tree near the ruins of an
old chapel a couple of hundred yards
away from the house, after which they
left for their evening performance at an
| adjacent town.
The evening of the theatricals arrived,
and there was large audience. The only
| people whom Anthony had not invited
| were the villagers. despite the fact that
there would have been plenty of room in
the gallery. Cammarleigh suggested that
up with them. Anthony looked at him
| severely.
You say that on purpose, because you
know perfectly well that whatever hap
| pens on a stage villagers always laugh.
| It's like playing to lunatics."
"Whoever thinks of doing that?'
| "Oh. heaps of peOple-amateurs mostly.
1 know a distinguished lady amateur who
| told me that her reception at Colney
| Hatch was a thing to be remembered,
and that she aroused the widest en-
thusiasm at Bedlam."
I Have you ever played in a lunatic
| asylum" asked Cammarleigh meaningly.
"Once-but there's rather a painful
memory attached to 1t. BY way of show
| ing his sense of humor member of the
| company went up to our low comedian as
| we were making a move to go. and say
| ing goodbye cheerfully. told him that
| he would be we'll cared for. and that the
| company would always include him in
| the cast when they came again. The
perpetrator of this piece of humor was
| when they are playing a practical joke
and our poor comedian went off his head
and had to stay where he was for three
| months"
Il don't call that funny said Cam
| marleigh. icily.
Funny" said Anthony. "Who said ii
| was funny?''
To clear himself of any charge Of van
| ity he had frankly told the company
| that 1t had been Cammarleigh's lifelong
| ambition to have good performance OF
| Hamlet in his own house. but as he
! stood waiting for his entrance he felt
| that he had somewhat strained the situa.
| ton to crafty his own vanity. Nobody
| could deny that he looked extremely we'll
| still. as he walked on the stage he did
not feel particularly inspired The mo.
| ment. however. he had spoken the mag
ical line which never seems to lose its
music. Its not alone my inky cloak
good mother" the desire which had beer