Even had Aurora been able to apprehend the measure and quality, the fine
shades, of Gerald's dislike to the thought of her doing a turn in the
society variety-show, it is more than doubtful that she would have let
it weigh against her strong desire to take part. It is fine to have such
delicate sensibilities regarding the dignity of another, but it is
foolishness to entertain anything of the sort regarding your own.
"If there's one thing I love, it's to dress up and play I'm somebody
else," Aurora had said when first the subject of the benefit performance
was discussed.
Mrs. Hawthorne was so certain to give generously to the cause of the
convalescents that it was felt only fair to flatter her by seeking to
enlist the service of her talents; but apart from this, the promise of
her appearance was counted upon to create interest. She being obviously
less restricted by conventions than other people, there existed a
permanent curiosity as to what she might do next; and it could not be
denied that she could, when she chose, be funny.
With the exception of one peculiar and superfastidious man, nobody had
the smallest objection to seeing her distort her fine mouth in comic
grimaces, or lend her fine figure to clownish acts. There were those, of
course, who called Mrs. Hawthorne vulgar; but too many persons liked her
for the charge of vulgarity to go undisputed or become loud. A good many
had reason to like her.
Aurora felt so sure of the general friendliness that not the smallest
pang of doubt, of deterring nervousness, assailed her while preparing
her scene; and when she once occupied the center of the stage the spirit
of frolic so possessed, the laughter of the people so elated and
spurred, her, that she would have turned somersaults to amuse them, and
done it with success, no doubt, for all that Aurora did on this occasion
was funny and successful. Aurora, intoxicated with applause, was that
night in her simple way inspired. Her state was, in fact, dangerous,
discretion deserted her, and before the end, carried away by the desire
to please further, make laugh more, she had done a foolish thing--a
thing which she half knew, even while she did it, to be foolish, perhaps
wrong. But not having leisure to think, she took the risk, and in time
found herself, as a result of her mistake, to have made an enemy; yes,
changed her dear and helpful friend Charlie Hunt into a secret enemy.
In an old palace on Via dei Bardi a stage had been set, filling one
fourth of the vast saloon. A goodly representation of Anglo-American
society in Florence crowded the rest. Beautifully hand-written programs
acquainted these, through thin disguises of name, with the personalities
of the performers. Only one name was really mysterious--Lew Dockstader.
After a lively overture by piano, violin, and harp, the three Misses
Hunt, in Japanese costume, gave a prettily kittenish rendering of "Three
Little Maids from School," selection from one of those Gilbert and
Sullivan operettas latterly enchanting both England and America. The
tub-shaped Herr Spiegelmeyer, dressed like a little boy and announced as
an infant prodigy, played a concerto of prodigious difficulty and
length. Lavin, of the tenor voice rich in poetry and prospects, humbled
himself to sing, "There was a Lady Loved a Swine," with "Humph, quoth
he"--s almost too realistic. Then came Lew Dockstader.
Now, report had spread that Mrs. Hawthorne was to appear as a negress;
no one was prepared to see her appear as a negro. The surprise, when it
dawned on this one and the other that that stove-black face with rolling
eyes and big red and white smile, that burly body incased in old,
bagging trousers, those shuffling feet shod in boots a mile too large
for them and curling up at the toe, belonged to Mrs. Hawthorne, the
surprise was in itself a success. Then, as has been said, Aurora was
undeniably in the vein that evening.
She had seen Lew Dockstader, the negro minstrel, once in her life, but
at the impressionable age, when you see and remember for good. It had
been the great theatrical event of her life. "What, haven't seen Lew
Dockstader! Don't know who he is!" thus she still would measure a
person's ignorance of what is best in drama and song. She loved Lew.
When she impersonated him she did not try to imitate him, she simply
felt herself to be he.
In this character she now told a string of those funny anecdotes which
Americans love to swap. She sang divers songs, pitched among her big,
velvety chest tones: "Children, Keep in de Middle ob de Road," "Fluey,
Fluey," "Come, Ride dat Golden Mule." With the clumsy nimbleness and
innocent love of play of a Newfoundland pup, she flung out her enormous
feet in the dance.
The crimson curtains drew together upon her retreat amid unaffected
applause. Recalled, she gave the encore prepared for such an event.
Recalled over and over, like singers of topical songs, to hear what she
would say next, Aurora, a little off her head with the new wine of
glory, exhausted her bag of parlor tricks to satisfy an audience so
kind. Then it was that she made her mistake. Recalled still again, she
invented on the spot one last thing to do. She recited a poem indelibly
learned at public school, giving it first as a newly landed Jewish pupil
would pronounce it, then a small Irishman, then a small Italian, finally
an English child. To add the latter was her mistake, because her
caricature of the English speech was very special.
The sound of it started an idea buzzing in the head of one of her
audience--Charlie Hunt, who sat well in front, and in applauding raised
his hands above the level of his head so that actors and audience alike
might be encouraged by seeing that he gave the patronage of his
approval.
He did not immediately connect Aurora's English with a rankling
remembered episode, but the thing was burrowing in his subconsciousness,
and an arrow of light before long pierced his brain. He reconsidered the
conclusion upon which he had rested with regard to the black crow who at
the _veglione_ had put to him an impertinent question. Could it be
that not the particular lady whom he had fixed upon in his mind, as
being fond of Landini, consequently jealous of Mrs. Hawthorne, had by it
expressed her spite, but that--? He saw in a flash a different
possibility.
When the show was over and the performers had issued from the
dressing-rooms in the clothes of saner moments, Charlie Hunt approached
Mrs. Hawthorne, who, flushed with excitement, was looking almost too
much like an American Beauty rose. He paid his compliments in a tone
tinged with irony, all the while watching her with a penetrating,
inquiring, ironical eye. But the irony was wasted. She was too
pleasantly engrossed to perceive it.
"Has anybody here seen Mr. Fane?" she asked after a time, when her
glances had vainly sought him in every corner.
Estelle told her that she had not set eyes on him the whole evening;
and, which was more conclusive, little Lily Foss said he had not been
there.