mewhat
flippant. I had no doubt he had some right to think so, so I very
sincerely and seriously told him that such a thing as pulling anybody's
leg had never entered my mind. Indeed, very far from it; that my
experience since I had been in Melbourne was exactly the opposite, and
that it was I who had suffered much from having my leg pulled by other
people, especially those commercial magnates whose business I had been so
anxious to promote. My explanation seemed to please him. There was one
more point which required arranging, and an important point too, and that
was whether my salary would be four pounds a week or not. So I asked him.
He answered very readily that if he was satisfied with the results of the
rehearsal next day, and in view of the fact that I was finding my own
wardrobe, and that an expensive one, he would pay the four pounds a week.
I at once thought to myself that I had made a mistake. I was giving
myself away too cheap, but I would keep it in mind for our next business
interview. I did remember, as you will see presently.

Friday afternoon came, and, as the stage was occupied in preparing the
new scenery for _The School for Scandal_, we held a so-called rehearsal
in one of the corridors. It was very informal, but I had mastered my
book. Wybert closed on our bargain, and the comedy was produced on the
Saturday night before a very large, select and enthusiastic audience,
amongst whom there seemed to be an inordinate number of my own personal
friends. All went well. I had made up my mind to succeed or go right down
under. I was in a very happy mood. My friend the private secretary's
clothes fitted me to perfection, and, to the astonishment not only of
Wybert Reeve himself, the company, and the professional critics in front,
I introduced at times some light dancing steps, which cheered me on in my
efforts and apparently highly pleased our audience. Between the acts
Wybert took the opportunity, while encouraging me, to suggest that it
would be an awful pity to spoil the splendid work I was putting in, as he
called it, by overdoing it. I could see how anxious he was. I opened a
good bottle of champagne, we had a drink together, and I assured him that
all would be well. And so it was; and at the end of the performance we
answered repeated calls before the curtain. When we had made our last
bows to the audience, the company met in what was then an old institution
at the back of the scenes, namely, the green-r