‘No, miss. There never was no artfuller make-up in a stage play.’
‘Didn’t you recognise my voice?’
‘It sounded like your figure looks,’ said she.
‘Well,’ said I, ‘when Mr. Will Johnstone arrives, open the door, show him in as though you supposed I was in the room, and then shut the door smartly upon him.’
Whilst I waited for my cousin I practised some walking. I got in front of the long glass and advanced toward it, and marked such points of my gait as I considered suggestive and suspicious. I found my steps too short, but after practising a little I guessed it would not be very difficult to walk like a man. I looked short in my clothes and appeared to have dwindled six or eight inches, so greatly is stature heightened to the eye by the long robes of my sex.
Whilst I was rehearsing as a young sailor-man in front of the glass, I heard Will’s knock downstairs. I placed myself in front of the window as though I was a stranger waiting. The door of the room was opened and shut by my maid according to my orders, and on turning I saw Will.
‘Oh, I beg pardon,’ said he, ‘I thought Miss Johnstone was here.’
‘She’ll be here shortly,’ said I.
He stared hard and oddly, as though he pricked his ears on my speaking, but certainly he no more recognised me than my maid had. I continued to look out of the window and spoke with my back to him.