We shall be charmed to squeeze Willie's friend in, and it shall be done
by some undiscovered power of compression on the second night, Thursday,
the 14th. Will you make our compliments to his honour, the Deputy
Fiscal, present him with the enclosed bill, and tell him we shall be
cordially glad to see him? I hope to entrust him with a special shake of
the hand, to be forwarded to our dear boy (if a hoary sage like myself
may venture on that expression) by the next mail.
I would have proposed the first night, but that is too full. You may
faintly imagine, my venerable friend, the occupation of these also gray
hairs, between "Golden Marys," "Little Dorrits," "Household Wordses,"
four stage-carpenters entirely boarding on the premises, a carpenter's
shop erected in the back garden, size always boiling over on all the
lower fires, Stanfield perpetually elevated on planks and splashing
himself from head to foot, Telbin requiring impossibilities of smart
gasmen, and a legion of prowling nondescripts for ever shrinking in and
out. Calm amidst the wreck, your aged friend glides away on the "Dorrit"
stream, forgetting the uproar for a stretch of hours, refreshes himself
with a ten or twelve miles walk, pitches headforemost into foaming
rehearsals, placidly emerges for editorial purposes, smokes over buckets
of distemper with Mr. Stanfield aforesaid, again calmly floats upon the
"Dorrit" waters.
With very best love to Miss Macready and all the rest,
Ever, my dear Macready, most affectionately yours.
[Sidenote: Miss Power.]