Year: 1879

laugh we'll. Tor dd not like having the
talk directed to me.


"You know that he is at his best where
a certain humor or mockery is required, a
something weird and sardonic.'' We all
laughed at the imitation of the old GENTLE
mans voice and manner We always
laughed at Toms limitations, which were
wonderfully clever; and yet never could
see the resemblance of the old gentleman
to Toms limitations of him.


"And the girl does Margaret said
Tom, when he had done laughing ''there
will be lots of people to go and see her
always lots of shirt-fronts where she plays.
We all know her great talents-a plump
figure and an eve. She has deuce of an
eve" He looked very knowing, and SO
did most ofus.


81 don't wish you to suppose for mo-
ment.' began Tom again, '.that / would
say anything against the old gent. No
body is fonder of the old gent than / am:
and, by George! his trust in women would
be beautiful if it weren't SO damned
idiotic.n


Then we all declared, or muttered. or
asserted by nod. that we were fond of
the old gentleman.


l have said that was a young man ten
years ago. when that festive club was in
full swing, and the old gentleman came
there every night after the theatre. went
very often to the play at that time; but l
doubt if | should have gone to revival Of
an old stage version of GOethe's s.Faust,"
had not been curious to see the old gen.
tleman as Mephistopheles. | was young
tbnn he IL, nI,
that the actor playing before me was my
personal friend. l felt that l enjoyed
certain superiority over the other Young
men, who did not know Mephistophles at
home. However, on the night on which I
was one young man over whom | could
claim no superiority Unluckily he sat in
the next stall, and made me feel uncouth.
And yet there was nothing remarkable
about him, except selfpossession almost
insulting to sensitive people. Everything
about him was exactlyright. He made me
feel as if my hair was rough and my dress
boots shapeless. Mephistopheles did not
look powerful physically.


When he stood STILL he generally
crossed his right foot over his left, placed
his left hand upon his hip, and turned his
head over his right shoulder There was
something tremulous about the old gentle
man in this attitude, which diminished
the impression of supernatural power in
repose. Something tremulous also about
the lips interfered with the clear-cut, sar-
donic smile which they were meant to
wear. Yet the old actor spoke firmly
enough and with good discretion; and the
scene of his first meeting with Faust was
well received. | fancied that he gave me
a kindly glance out of the corner of his
dabolical eye. ENCOURAGED by this, and
perhaps desiring to assert myself against
my well-groomed neighbor in the stalls,
left my seat at the end of the first act,
and went behind the scenes to pay my re-
spects to Mephistopheles. His profession
seemed to give him courage. Dressed in
red and under his tall. stiff plume he
looked about him more freely. He shook
me by the hand and thanked me for my
presence by flourish of the arm, and a
somewhat old-fashioned courtesy.


II think you do not know my daughter"
he said, with a slighter flourish of his 9TH
er arm towards young lady who stood
few yards off. | bowed shyly; she nod
ded. glanced at me for moment. and
then turned her eyes away again as if she
were looking for something or somebody.
Her glance was peculiar; she did not IA
vor me with second; so, while her father
talked to me of the parts and the points,
was able to look at his daughter. Her
body was beautifully prOportioned, but
the curves were little too full, or seemed
so to me. Her hair was plentiful and fair
but fancied that even in the sunlight it
would have but little warmth or brilliancy.
The most striking features were the eyes,
which were large. but very deeply set un-
der dark brows and ashes. As studied
those eyes and paid but slight attention to
the critical remarks of the old gentleman,
became by degrees aware that the eyes
from out of their strange shadow were
looking at me. They were sulky, provok-
ing and amused. When | was sure that
they were fixed upon me, and that my
face betrayed my discovery, | expected
that they would he turned aside. They
continued to regard me with their half
sullen, half-humorous look, until turned
away rather sharply and interrupted the
flow of the old mans discourse. He
stopped short, supposng that had some
luminous remark to make. | stammered
out an apology and was turning again to
seek the front of the house, when found
myself face to face with my neighbor of
the stalls. Though had almost trodden
on his shining boot, he regarded me with
face carefully divested of expression.
Then he looked beyond me. and saw that
the girl greeted him with curt nod.


''lIow dye do, my lord ?' said the old
gentleman, with his most nervous manner.
He seemed to have lost his short-lived
self possession. ''Ihope you like the per-
formance ?'' he added.


"Uncommon, said the young man
briefly. but with more civlity than ex-
pected ''lIow are you9" he asked, as
he stepped forward to the side of the girl.


s e said nothing, but made mocking
face nd raped the hand which he was
hold out to her. with her fan.


The as something strange in her
laugh, . -,hing which made me glance
at her father. He was fdgety. There
was flush under his eyes. a flush too
rosy for Mephistopheles, and the actor
pulled powderpuff from his wallet,


"We are going to begin, my lord" he
said quickly.


Then must clear out" said the other,