"Professor Garrick Gail," said the lady, giving him the entire name with the air of a Siddons, "is resting prior to going later to the Curtain Theatre. But if your errand is pressing----"
"Yes, it is. Please give the Professor my card."
"I am Mrs. Garrick Gail, formerly Miss Hettie Montgomery," said the lady in haughty tones, "and I do not convey messages. Maria!" she beckoned to a small servant whose not very clean face peeped under her substantial arm, "convey this intimation to your master. Gentlemen," she flung open the door grandly, "enter, and repose yourselves in the drawing-room."
Vernon smiled at the tinsel majesty of the actress, but the Colonel, without moving a muscle of his good-looking face, marched in stiffly. Shortly they found themselves in a tawdry room of no great size, crammed with theatrical photographs and furnished in a poor, pretentious manner, which revealed poverty, while it aped the genteel. Mrs. Garrick Gail, formerly Miss Hettie Montgomery, conducted them in with the air of one accustomed to the centre of the stage and then departed stating that her husband would shortly do himself the honour of waiting on them.
"What airs!" murmured Towton, recalling his Shakespeare indistinctly; "an intolerable quantity of sack to a pennyworth of bread."
"These actors and actresses are always in the glare of the footlights," said Vernon, sitting down cautiously on a shaky chair. "By the way, Colonel, if I do a little business with the Professor don't look more surprised than you can help."
"Business? What business?"
"I intend to ask if Miss Frances Hest is open to an engagement. It is necessary, since both you and I are beginning to mistrust that young lady, to be diplomatic."
"That means you mistrust this actor also and wish to throw him off the scent?"
Vernon nodded. "Exactly, and--hush----" He stopped and composed his features as the door opened and Professor Gail stalked into the room, like the Ghost of Hamlet's father.