in
for it now. She starts, and I come on next. Up goes the curtain. Where
the devil has my book got to?"

In another moment he was in the wings, intent on his part; then I saw
him throw down his book and go jauntily forward. A moment more, and
there was a thunder of applause. All the actors looked at each other,
and smiled a feeble smile.

"He will do," said General Marston, the Indian officer, who, now in the
dress of an old-fashioned livery servant, proceeded to mount the steps.
It dawned upon me that I was missing the play, and I hurried back to
find Charles convulsing the audience with the utmost coolness, and
evidently enjoying himself exceedingly. Then Evelyn came on--But who
cares to read a description of a play? It is sufficient to say that
Aurelia looked charming, and many were the whispered comments on her
magnificent jewels; but on the stage Evelyn surpassed her, as much as
Aurelia surpassed Evelyn off it.

Ralph and Carr did well, but Charles was the favorite with every one,
from the Duchess of Crushington in the front seat to the scullery-maid
on the staircase. He was so bold, so wicked, so insinuating, in his
plumed cap and short cloak, so elegantly refined when he wiped his sword
upon his second's handkerchief. He took every one's heart by storm.
Ralph, who represented all the virtues, with rather thick ankles and a
false mustache, was nowhere. When the curtain fell for the last time,
amid great and continued applause, the "heavy mother," Ralph, Aurelia,
all were well received as they passed before it; but Charles, who
appeared last, was the hero of the evening.

"He is engaged to his cousin, Miss Derrick, isn't he?" said a lady near
me, in a loud whisper to a friend.

"Hush! no. Charles can't marry. Head over ears in debt. They say _she_
is attached to one of her cousins, but I forget which. I am not sure it
was not the other one."

"Then it is the second son who is going to be married, is it? I know I
heard something about one of them being engaged."

"Yes, the second son is engaged to that good-looking girl in diamonds,
who acted Florence Mordaunt. A lot of money, I believe, but not much in
the way of family. Grandfather sold mouse-traps in Birmingham, so people
say."

"She looks like it!" replied the other, who had daughters out, and could
not afford to let any praise of other girls pass. "No breeding or
refinement; and she will be stout later, you will see."

The play being over, a genera