HOVERING CARPENTER (at top of his voice). “Jim! wind and rain for last scene of first act.”
Husky but indignant voice from the flics expressing an earliest desire that every one should go to the devil.
STAGE MAN. (who always rehearsed his speeches at full length, and in a tone of voice as if he were reciting the multiplication table). “‘I am pursued. My life is at stake. Hide me from these bloodhounds who are on my track. Hark! they are here. Thank Heaven, they are past. I am safe. Ha, who is this we have here? ‘Sdeath, I am in luck to-night. Sir Henry will thank me, when I bring his strayed lamb back to him. Come with me, my little runaway,’ Nay, resist not, or ‘twill be the worse for all.’ I catch hold of you. We struggle. ‘Come, I say, with me. Come, I say!”
FIRST O. W. “* Die together!”
Scrape from the fiddle.
STAGE MAN. (loudly, after waiting a minute). “‘Die together.’”
FIRST O. M. “I beg pardon. I didn’t hear.” (Fumbles with his part, and loses his place.)
MAN. WIFE. “He really ought to use an ear-trumpet.”
FIRST O. M. Er-r-r—Heaven will give me strength—er—can strike a blow!” (Shakes his stick at STAGE MANAGER.)
Tremendous hammering suddenly begun at back, eliciting forcible expressions of disapproval from all the members of the company, with the exception of the FIRST OLD MAN, who doesn’t hear it, and goes on calmly with the rehearsal all by himself.