JESSIE'S TRIUMPH.
The eventful evening arrived. It had been a difficult matter with me
to keep the knowledge of the affair to myself, for I was in a state of
great excitement, and my mother noticed it; but she did not seek my
confidence except by kind looks of interest and curiosity. During the
day, in accordance with Josey West's advice, I bought two handsome
bouquets, which I conveyed to Josey secretly, and which she hid under
my seat in the kitchen. Great pains had been taken with the room,
which, with benches and chairs properly arranged, and the stage
curtain, and a row of stagelights with green shades to them, really
presented the appearance of a miniature theatre. It was rather gloomy,
certainly, for all the candles were required for the stage, but that
was a small matter. The room was filled chiefly by the West family, of
whom every available member was present, down to the youngest baby in
arms, and among the audience were a few persons with whom I was not
acquainted, but whose appearance, with one exception, clearly denoted
that they belonged to the dramatic profession. Two male and two
female Wests, of tender age, comprised the band; the girls played
the violin, and one of the boys played the flute, and the other the
cornopean--which latter instrument ran short occasionally in the
matter of wind. Everybody was very excited and very merry, and Josey
West's queer little figure was continually darting before and behind
the curtain.
'Would you like to see her?' the good-natured creature whispered to
me. 'Of course you would. Come along, then. She's dressed for
Pauline.'
I went with Josey behind the scenes to Jessie's dressing-room, which
had been built for the occasion with shop-shutters, and blankets, and
odds and ends. Jessie looked wonderfully fascinating and beautiful in
her fine dress, and a painful feeling of inferiority came upon me in
the presence of so much grace and loveliness.
'And how do I look, Chris?' she asked, as she stood before me, with
flushed cheeks and sparkling eyes.
I sighed as I told her that I had never seen any one look more lovely.
'_She'll_ never want a wig, my dear!' said Josey West admiringly, as
she ran her fingers through Jessie's beautiful hair. 'Did you ever see
such hair and such a complexion? All her own, my dear--scarcely a
touch of the hare's foot. But, bless the boy! he looks as if he was
sorry instead of pleased. That's not the way to make her act well.
There! kiss her, and go back to your seat. The music's beginning.'
My cheeks were as red as Jessie's as Josey West pushed me towards
Jessie, and turned her back; but my arm was round Jessie's waist
nevertheless, and Jessie, moved by a sudden impulse, kissed me very
affectionately. It was the first time our lips had ever met.
'Done?' cried Josey West. 'There! I'm sure you feel more comfortable
now. Now run away, or I shall have you turned out of the house.'
In a very happy frame of mind I took my seat among the audience, whose
enthusiasm was unbounded. The stage management was simply perfect;
there was not a hitch in the entire performance. Directly the music
ceased, amidst a general clapping of hands and stamping of feet--our
satisfaction was so complete that we wanted everything done over
again--a bell tinkled for the curtain, which was promptly drawn aside,
and the comic drama of _Delicate Ground_ commenced. General interest
of course centred round Jessie, who at first was slightly nervous, but
she grew more confident as the scene progressed. To say that she
played well is to say little; her acting on that night is fixed in my
mind as the most perfect and beautiful I have ever seen. It was not
only my opinion, it was the opinion of all, and the applause that was
bestowed upon her was astonishing in its genuineness and heartiness.
'By heavens, sir!' I heard one of the visitors with whom I was not
acquainted say to another--'by heavens, sir, she's peerless--peerless!
She'll make a sensation when she comes out.' There was an entire
absence of envy in the praise that was given to her; and the women, as
well as the men, were extravagantly enthusiastic in their
demonstrations. I heard remarks also passed from one to another, to
the effect that Gus and Brinsley never acted better in their lives;
they certainly, after the fashion of Turk, 'went in' with a will, and
it was difficult to say which of them deserved the palm of victory. I
liked Brinsley best, because he did not play the part of Jessie's
husband, but this view I kept to myself. Had it not been for the kiss
Jessie had given me, the memory of which made me triumphantly happy
during the whole of the night, I might have been rendered uneasy by
the passion which Gus West threw into the last lines of his part: 'You
_have_ no rival. You have been, and are, sole mistress of this my
heart. You have been, and will be, sole mistress of this my house.'
But even these words, and the passion with which they were spoken, did
not disturb me, and when the curtain fell upon the scene, my only
feeling was one of pride in Jessie's triumph. There were loud calls
for Pauline; and Turk, who came in just as the curtain fell, joined
vehemently in the applause, although he had seen nothing of the piece.
He was accompanied by the old actor, whom I knew as Mac, and whose
acquaintance I had made on the memorable night I spent at the Royal
Columbia. When Jessie, led on by Gus and Brinsley West, came before
the curtain and curtsied her acknowledgments, and when I threw my
bouquet at her feet, the cheers were redoubled again and again; and
all acknowledged that there could not have been a greater success.
Then there was a merry interval, which was occupied by gossip and
refreshments; and then the ballet and terpsichorean revel by Josey
West's sisters, towards whom the audience were disposed to be more
critical. The young misses acquitted themselves admirably, and were
followed by Turk West, whose 'Dream of Eugene Aram' was a most
tremendous elocutionary effort. To me it was terribly grand, and the
intense earnestness of Turk made a deep impression upon me. He was
rewarded by unanimous cries of 'Bravo, Turk!' 'Well done, old fellow!'
and a call before the curtain, which he acknowledged in his best
manner. Jessie's appearance in _The Conjugal Lesson_, as Mrs. Simon
Lullaby, was, if possible, more successful than her Pauline; but Turk,
who found a seat next to me, was somewhat sarcastic on his brother
Gus. Perhaps he was jealous too; at all events, he whispered to me
that he wished _he_ had had the opportunity of playing Mr. Simon
Lullaby; 'then you would have seen a piece of acting, Chris, my boy,
which you would not easily have forgotten.' It was late when the
performances were over. Jessie was of course called on again, and
received my second bouquet, and then the company prepared to depart.
But Josey West cried out from behind the curtain that they were all to
stop to supper, and in a short time these male and female Bohemians,
the merriest and best-hearted crew in the world, were regaling
themselves on bread-and-cheese and pickles and beer, amid such a din
of joviality that you could scarcely hear your own words. I went
behind to Jessie's room, and waited until she was dressed; Josey West
heard me walking restlessly about, and called to me when Jessie was
ready.
'And what do you think of us now?' she asked.
I did not stint my measure of admiration, and I told them what
I had heard one of the visitors say, that Jessie's acting was
peerless--peerless.
'And so it was,' said Josey West. 'Which one was it, my dear, who said
that--a tall thin man, with a sandy moustache?'
'No; but he was sitting near, and I saw him nodding his head, and
clapping, as though he was very pleased.'
'That's a good sign; he's a fine judge of acting. He'll want to be
introduced to you, Jessie; so will they all. I shouldn't wonder----'
'What?' I asked.
'Nothing, my dear, unless you can make something out of the
circumstance that that gentleman's name is Rackstraw, and that he
prepares young ladies for the stage. That was a good thought of yours,
my dear, bringing these bouquets. Such beautiful ones, too! I wish I
had such a prince!'
Jessie laughingly bade Josey West hold her tongue, and I saw with
delight that she had placed in her bosom a flower from one of the
bouquets.
'It was very kind of you, Chris,' said Jessie, giving me her hand,
which was burning with excitement.
'You must be tired, Jessie.'
'I could go all through it again,' she replied.
'That's the way with us excitable creatures,' observed Josey West
complacently; 'we're like thoroughbred race-horses, we can go on till
we drop. Now, Jessie, come along and be praised.'
The praises she received were sufficient to turn any one's head; she
was surrounded and kissed by all the women, and the men could not find
words sufficiently strong to express their gratification. Mr.
Rackstraw, the gentleman who prepared young ladies for the stage, was
very eulogistic and very inquisitive, asking personal questions with a
freedom which did not please me. But neither Josey West nor Jessie
shared my feeling in this respect--Josey especially taking great
interest in what he said.
'And you think she would succeed?' said Josey West.
'I am sure of it, Josey,' he answered.
He addressed all in the room by their Christian names, and was
evidently regarded as a man of importance.
'But there is a great deal to be learnt?' asked Jessie; 'is there
not?'
'Yes, assuredly, my dear.' (Another sign of familiarity which
displeased me. I did not mind it from the members of the West family;
there was a homely and honest ring of affection in the term as they
used it, but it sounded quite differently from Mr. Rackstraw's lips.)
'A great deal.'
'And it would cost money?'
'Well, yes,' he said promptly, 'it would cost money--but not much, not
much. Josey, I took the liberty of bringing a friend with me--Mr.
Glover.'
Mr. Glover, the best-dressed man in the room, tall and dark, and
between forty and fifty years of age, was the gentleman I had noticed
who, alone among the audience, did not appear to belong to the
dramatic profession. I had not paid any attention to him during the
evening, but upon this direct reference I turned towards him, and saw
at a glance, in my closer observance of him, that his station in life
was higher than ours. Being introduced to Jessie, he thanked her for a
most pleasant evening.
'I am not a frequenter of theatres,' he said, 'but if you were upon
the stage, I think I should be tempted to come very often to see you.'
He spoke well and slowly, and with the manner of a person who was
accustomed to reflect upon each word before it passed his lips. When
he and his friend were gone, Josey West informed us that Mr. Rackstraw
was a person of the greatest influence. Not only did he prepare young
ladies for the stage, she said, but he was in connection with a
theatrical agency, where important engagements were effected. Gus's
name was down upon the books of this agency, and having in this way
made Mr. Rackstraw's personal acquaintance, he had induced him to come
down and see Jessie act. Josey was in high spirits because everything
had gone off so well.
'It is a real, complete, and splendid success,' she said, 'and ought
to be repeated every evening until further notice. Hark--old Mac's
going to speak!'
The old actor had risen, glass in hand, and had expressed his wish to
address a few words to the company--an intimation which was received
with vociferous and lengthened applause.
'Brothers and sisters in the noblest of all noble professions,' he
said, 'this reception is not only cheering, but, coming upon me when I
am in the sere and yellow----'(Here there were cries of 'No, no, old
fellow; you've a good twenty years before you yet!')--'I use the
language of those base and envious detractors who say it is time the
old actor was laid on the shelf. Using their words, then, which Avon's
Swan never thought would be so misapplied, this reception coming upon
me when I am in the sere and yellow, is not only cheering but
affecting. It recalls the memory of times when the humble individual
before you never stepped upon the boards without one, and when old
Mac's place--his proper and legitimate place in the ranks, won by the
force of genius and hard study----'(Cries of 'Bravo, Mac! Go it!')--'I
mean to--when his legitimate place, won, as I have said, by the force
of hard study and genius, was not occupied by pretenders. But tempora
mutantur, nos et mutamur in illis----' (The applause here lasted for
full a minute) 'O yes, old Mac can show these pretenders the way to
go! Tempora mutantur, et cetera, my sons, and may you never find it
out in the same way as the humble individual who stands before you
has! But it was not to speak of myself that I rose--the old actor
never cares to thrust himself forward'--(general and good-humoured
laughter)--'knowing as he does that the subject is weary, stale, and
unprofitable. He knows that he is but "a poor player, that struts and
frets his hour upon the stage, and then is heard no more!" But damme,
my sons, the poor player is happy to know that in his old age he has
honour, love, and, if not obedience, troops of friends.' ('So you
have, old boy! Go on!') 'I intend to. I drink to you. Give me the cup.
Nay, I have it'--(with a humorous look)--'not sparkling to the brim,
but 'twill serve. "Let the kettle to the trumpet speak. The trumpet to
the cannoneer without. The cannons to the heavens, the heavens to
earth." Old Mac drinks to those he loves!' (As the speaker drained his
glass, the youngster who played the cornopean performed a flourish
upon the instrument, and the other members of the company did their
best to produce an appropriate demonstration.) 'But to the point. We
have witnessed to-night a most remarkable performance by a young lady,
who I am informed has never appeared upon the boards--a young lady who
is destined to occupy a distinguished position--mark me, a
distinguished position--and may old Mac live to see it! She has youth,
she has grace, she has beauty, she has genius. In her presence I say
it, my sons. The old actor knows a pretender when he sees him, and he
knows genius when he sees it; he sees it here. In proposing the toast
of this young lady's health' (Mac placed his glass upon the table, and
waited until it was refilled), 'and in wishing her the success that
always should, but sometimes doesn't, wait on merit, old Mac knows
that he is performing a task which every one of you would like to have
performed in his place. But damme, my sons, while old Mac lives, the
old school of gallantry will never die out.'
How the toast was received, and with what enthusiasm it was drunk; how
they all surrounded Jessie and petted her and complimented her; how
she blushed and trembled at the praises which were showered upon her;
and how these honours seemed to remove her farther and farther from
me,--I have not the power to describe. It was two o'clock in the
morning before the company broke up, and Jessie and I walked home. My
heart was full almost to bursting, and I could not trust myself to
speak. Not a word passed between us, but with Jessie's arm closely
entwined in mine, and with her hand clasped in mine, I felt that
without her I would not wish to live. When we reached home, I knocked
softly at the street-door, but no answer came. I knocked more loudly,
but still there was no answer. Surprised that my mother was not
waiting up for us, I tried the handle of the door, and found that it
was unlocked. I closed the street-door, and we entered the
sitting-room, where a candle was burning. My mother was there, sitting
by the table, with her head on her arm. I approached her in some
alarm, and saw that she was asleep; her dreams must have been
distressing ones, for she was sobbing bitterly.