music, began the scenes from the New Testament. One was
rather pretty, introducing the woman at the well, Christ being
impersonated by a sweet-faced young man in white, with a light brown wig
and beard. The girl who played the Virgin was not more than twenty, and
had a serene prettiness, with an air of grave modesty, which were very
attractive. She wore her own long hair falling like a mantle over her
dark dress, as far down as the knees.

Each scene lasted perhaps five minutes, the characters on the stage
speaking no word, but opening their mouths and moving their bodies in
time with the recitation of the choragus. We had the betrayal in the
garden, the trial before Pilate, the scourging, the crucifixion, and the
resurrection, all given with feeling and surprising dignity, and in the
crucifixion scene, with pathos. Most of the women in the audience were
in tears, their compassion spending itself noticeably more upon the
Virgin's sorrow than upon her Son's agony; and all through the
representation the same irreverent knot of scoffers continued to laugh,
to whistle, to mimic. From many parts of the tent there were indignant
cries of "Shame!" and "Silence!" but the disturbers went on to the end,
quite regardless of good taste and the pious feelings of the majority.

I heard whispers which informed us that this company of players had no
repertoire; such a thing they would have considered sacrilegious, but
they travelled all over France in caravans, carrying their own scenery
and costumes. We dared not stay till the very end of the performance,
but had to get up and steal quietly out, with Aunt Mary heavy on our
consciences.

I believe poor little Miss Randolph really was afraid of that scolding
she had prophesied. But behold, vice was its own reward, and the enemy
was delivered into our hands. We arrived at the mews, and there was the
car; but there was not Aunt Mary nor yet Sherlock-Fauntleroy. In their
place, curled up in the _tonneau_, reclined a callow French youth,
comfortably snoozing, with his coat-collar turned up to his ears. We
roused him, learned that he had been caught _en passant_ and hired at
the rate of two francs an hour to await the return of a lady and
gentleman; also that he had been in his present position for nearly an
hour. One lady and gentleman seemed to his mind as good as another, for
when offered a five-franc piece he showed no hesitation in delivering up
his charge to us, although, for all he