cting, and could throw herself heart and soul into a part. It tried
her very much to hear Fatima and Bluebeard give a dialogue as if they
were repeating a lesson, to see the Brothers come strolling up to the
rescue, instead of rushing in with hot haste; and to watch the very
un-sylph-like movements of the Fairy.

"This is the way it should be done!" she would cry, and would go through
the speeches herself, giving word and action as if she were really the
character she was impersonating, her eyes flashing with enthusiasm and
her cheeks aglow. Not one of her stage pupils could approach her fire,
or the various delicate modulations of her voice; even Mabel, who tried
her best, was very far behind.

"I can't put so much expression into what I'm saying!" declared Dora. "I
have to think all the time whether I'm getting the words right."

"But you ought to know the words so well that you don't need to think
about them--only to feel what Bluebeard would be feeling!" returned
Aldred, who by this time could remember every separate speech in the
play much better than the actresses themselves. "Can't you imagine
yourself haughty and pompous, when you give Fatima the keys?"

"Why, no! I want to laugh!" giggled Dora.

Aldred stamped her foot; it was too irritating to see the part of
Bluebeard usurped by one who had so little conception of his character.
Dora's undignified rendering of the part was a constant annoyance.
Fatima, too, was a great trial; she repeated her sentences in a
monotonous, sing-song voice, without a vestige of passion.

"You take the keys from Bluebeard as if Miss Bardsley were handing you
an exercise-book!" remonstrated Aldred. "And as for the cupboard scene,
you look inside and say, 'Oh!' as casually as if there were nothing
there!"

"Well, there is nothing there!" retorted Lorna, rather resentful of so
much interference.

"Oh, Lorna! There are the horrid, bleeding heads of all the former
wives. Can't you pretend you see them, and give a proper shriek? Do let
us have the piece again! You ought to look half-curious half-frightened,
as you open the door, and then, when you've taken one peep, you should
scream, and fall back nearly fainting with horror!"

It seemed no use, however. In spite of all Aldred's coaching and
practical illustrations, Lorna could not rise to the required pitch, and
continued to give the thrilling scene with the utmost tameness. Aldred
was desperate. She felt that the success of