"Am I mad or drunk? Would I were!"
It will be remembered by those who saw the play that Lesurques, an innocent man, will not commit the Roman suicide of honor at his father's bidding, and refuses to take up his pistol from the table. "What! you refuse to die by your own hands, do you?" says the elder Lesurques. "Then die like a dog by mine!" (producing a pistol from his pocket).
One night, after having delivered the line with his usual force and impressiveness, Mead, after prolonged fumbling in his coat-tail pockets, added another:
"D—, b——! God bless my soul! Where's the pistol? I haven't got the pistol!"
The last scene in the eventful history of "Meadisms" in "'The Lyons Mail" was when Mead came on to the stage in his own top-hat, went over to the sofa, and lay down, apparently for a nap! Not a word could Henry get from him, and Henry had to play the scene by himself. He did it in this way:
"You say, father, that I," etc. "I answer you that it is false!"
Mead had a remarkable foot. Norman Forbes called it an architectural foot. Bunions and gout combined to give it a gargoyled effect! One night, I forget whether it was in this play or another, Henry, pawing the ground with his foot before an "exit"—one of the mannerisms which his imitators delighted to burlesque—came down on poor old Mead's foot, bunion gargoyles and all! Hardly had Mead stopped cursing under his breath than on came [Tyars], and brought down his weight heavily on the same foot. Directly Tyars came off the stage he looked for Mead in the wings and offered an apology.
"I beg your pardon—I'm really awfully sorry, Mead."
"Sorry! sorry!" the old man snorted. "It's a d——d conspiracy!"
It was the dignity and gravity of Mead which made everything he said so funny. I am afraid that those who never knew him will wonder where the joke comes in.