“If we knew our parts as well as the ‘pater noster’ we should be certain to come to a dead stop if the prompter isn’t in his box.”
“Very good,” said I to the actress, who was to play Lindane, “I will occupy the box myself, but I shall see your drawers.”
“You would have some difficulty in doing that,” said the first actor, “she doesn’t wear any.”
“So much the better.”
“You know nothing about it,” said the actress.
These remarks put us all in high spirits, and the ministers of Thalia ended by promising that they would dispense with a prompter. I was pleased with the way the piece was read, and they said they would be letter-perfect in three days. But something happened.
On the day fixed for the rehearsal they came without the Lindane and Murray. They were not well, but Rossi said they would not fail us eventually. I took the part of Murray, and asked Rosalie to be the Lindane.
“I don’t read Italian well enough,” she whispered, “and I don’t wish to have the actors laughing at me; but Veronique could do it.”
“Ask if she will read the part.”
However, Veronique said that she could repeat it by heart.