“And you don’t mind the moving about week by week?”
“Oh, sometimes it is tiresome, but there are many advantages. Mr. Macneillie knows a host of interesting people, all over the country, and they are generally very hospitable to us; besides I like getting to know fresh places, and as a rule the journeys are not very long or tiring. Sometimes I used to get a little bored by the incessant talk about things connected with the stage. But that would be just the same in any other profession. Don’t you remember how at the chateau we used to get so weary of the talk between Mr. Magnay and his two artist friends? They say it is exactly the same among authors, when two or three of them are together they can’t help talking shop. And as to clergymen, why they are proverbial! I suppose Kingsley was the only one who ever did entirely banish ‘clerical shop’ from his home talk.”
“Well, I think you are very wonderful people to be able to travel about for so long without losing your tempers or quarrelling like the Kilkenny cats,” said Bride. “There’s nothing on earth so trying to the temper as going about with people. I suppose that’s why they always make an unfortunate married couple travel on the continent. They learn in that way what sort of life is in store for them.”
Evereld laughed. “You know we do now and then quarrel a little, but as a rule we are all very friendly. There is only one thing I cannot stand, and I hope we shall never have such an infliction again.”
“What is that?” said Bride smiling at her friend’s vehemence.
“A wealthy amateur who thinks he can act but can’t,” said Evereld. “Oh, if you knew what we have endured all the autumn from an empty-headed fellow, who thought himself a genius!”
“What did he do?” said Bride.
“What did he not do! He was insufferably rude to Mr. Macneillie, he hated Ralph because he wanted the Juvenile Lead himself, he treated all the other men as though they were beneath contempt, he persecuted all the ladies of the company with tiresome attentions, and he was always dragging into the conversation the names of titled people of his acquaintance, or dropping coroneted envelopes in a casual way. Somehow he contrived to set us all at sixes and sevens, and there was joy throughout the company when at last something offended him and he suddenly brought his engagement to an end.”
Bride laughed heartily as she heard of the stratagem by which the Manager had contrived to bring about this much desired event.
“Who would ever think that Mr. Macneillie had so much fun in him as you describe,” she said. “His face is grave almost to sternness.”