MY DEBUT
The next day the play-bills of the "_Grand Circus of the Two Worlds_"
bore the following announcement:
ELEPHANT JUGGLER
The Famous "Devadatta"
Brother of Ganesa
When the evening arrived, and the performance was about to begin, I was
not much excited--but terribly ashamed. I thought, "What would Parvati
say if she could see me? I am about to amuse an audience by ridiculous
tricks; and if I should be so unlucky as to let slip a ring, no doubt
I shall be punished! Mr. Oldham, it is true, has a fairly good-natured
face, but Mr. Greathorse might make himself very disagreeable--and no
doubt threaten me, as he does the horses, who at the moment were making
the tour of the Ring."
The performance began by an Equestrian Act, by Messrs. Crampton,
Hampton, and Bampton. The horses were expected to leap over various
obstacles, and as I stood near the door, I could see Mr. Greathorse in
the centre of the Ring, with an enormous whip in his hand, cutting the
air with slashing strokes, to excite the poor creatures, and when one
of them, in spite of the efforts of the rider and the cracking of the
lash, hesitated to jump, he looked as if he would have been glad to
proceed from threats to blows!
After the Cramp tons, the Hamptons, and the Bamptons, the Ulverstone
Sisters appeared; but while the bar was being placed in position three
singular persons bounded into the Ring--one turning handsprings, one
walking on his hands, and the other disjointing himself in a series of
summersaults. They were dressed in a large, loose garment, made all in
one piece, and decorated with strange patterns; one had a rising sun
painted in the middle of his back and on his stomach, and one had an
enormous frog. All had their faces whitened with flour, and wore wigs
of white or red with a long lock standing up at the crown.... They
amused the public by all sorts of extravagances; they exchanged buffets
with each other; threw themselves down on the ground, and jumped up
suddenly.... They pretended to assist the servants who were adjusting
the bar, and perpetually tumbled down in the most grotesque attitudes.
The public laughed loudly at their antics.
I looked very earnestly at these persons, and I finally discovered
underneath the flour the features of Mr. Trick, Mr. Trock--and Mr.
Oldham! I was greatly astonished, and somewhat shocked to have for my
Preceptor a gentleman who could so forget his dignity!
Between each number of the program Mr. Oldham, and Messrs. Trick and
Trock repeated their buffooneries.
The performance went along very well. The praises with which Mr.
Hardwick had showered his companions in introducing us seemed to
me well merited. The Smith Brothers were wonderfully agile; if
Mrs. Greathorse was unpleasant to live with, she was a most adroit
Equilibrist; Miss Alice Jewel was extremely successful on the
Tight-rope. The Riders did well, and I was charmed with the graceful
movements of Miss Clara Morley's horse, which she managed altogether by
kind words. Only poor Annie Greathorse awakened my pity--she seemed so
ill at ease on her Trapeze!
It was after her that the "Famous Devadatta" was to appear. And I
appeared. I was applauded, and on my return from the Ring was kindly
received and caressed by the members of the company. But I was far from
happy; the least notice from Parvati would have been sweeter!
The end of the representation pleased me more than all the rest; it
was finished by the trained Birds of Miss Circé Nightingale, and the
"_Dance of Light_" by Miss Sarah Skipton.
They brought a great Cage into the middle of the Ring, full of all
kinds of Birds singing most delightfully. Then Miss Circé appeared,
looking charming in a dress of pale blue, with a silver girdle around
her waist; a silver comb sparkled in her beautiful blond hair; she
held in her hand a silver flute. She went at once to the Cage, opened
the door, and all the Birds flew out and circled round her, and some
perched on her shoulder. She smiled upon them in a sweet, friendly way,
and at a little gesture from her, they all flew up to the ceiling of
the Circus. She then played on the flute, and the Birds accompanied
her, and one could not distinguish the song of the Birds from the notes
of the flute.
Then she hastened the time of the music and the Birds descended towards
her, and circled around her head, like a kind of living coronet.... She
constantly altered the measure of the music, and the Birds who were
familiar with it formed new figures--all of them most beautiful; and
one might have imagined the lovely _Bird Charmer_ to be a _Queen of
Air_!
And when the flute ceased Miss Circé's gay little friends went joyously
back into their Cage, and the delighted audience applauded with
enthusiasm.
Where the Cage had stood they now brought in and set up a large
platform, on which Miss Sarah Skipton mounted, dressed in a very
full gown of thin, light material, made with an extraordinary number
of flounces or plaits; her beautiful golden hair floated over her
shoulders. Then the lights were put out: only four great lamps, or
rather lanterns, were left, which shed their rays directly onto
the platform, surrounding Miss Sarah with a luminous aureole. Then
they passed before the lanterns coloured glasses, and among these
reflections, which changed each instant, Sarah danced.... She danced
quick and light, or slow and languid; her dress whirled around her,
and grew red--green--yellow--and violet in turn--and sometimes all the
colours of the rainbow at once. She seemed a flower--a butterfly--a
bird; she was the dawn; she was the twilight; she was the storm, with
flashes of lightning; she was the waves of the sea, smiling in the
morning light; she was precious stones--and last of all--the glorious
triumphant Sun!... And suddenly all the lights were turned on, and
Sarah received the acclamations of the Audience in triumph!
The performance was over. I modestly retired to my stable, quite
dazzled by the "_Dance of Light._"
[Illustration]