adventures and letters-第45章
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s in a circle。 So； we fled out into the night followed by minute directions as to where 〃Your Grace〃 and 〃Your Ladyship〃 should turn。 For years； no doubt； on a Christmas Day the story will be told in that house； wherever it may be in the millions of other houses of London； how a beautiful Countess and a wicked Duke were pitched into their front door out of a hansom cab； and after having partaken of their Christmas supper； disappeared again into a sea of fog。 The only direction Ethel and I could remember was that we were to go to the right when we came to a Church； so when by feeling our way by the walls we finally reached a church we continued going on around it until we had encircled it five times or it had encircled us； we were not sure which。 After the fifth lap we gave up and sat down on the steps。 Ethel had on low slippers and was shivering and coughing but intensely amused and only scared for fear she would lose her voice for the first night of 〃Peter〃 We could hear voices sometimes； like people talking in a dream； and sometimes the sound of dance music； and a man's voice calling 〃Perlice〃 in a discouraged way as if he didn't much care whether the police came or not； but regularly like a fog siren I don't know how long we sat there or how long we might have sat there had not a man with a bicycle lamp loomed up out of the mist and rescued us。 He had his mother with him and she said with great pride that her boy could find his way anywhere。 So； we clung to her boy and followed。 A cabman passed leading his horse with one of his lamps in his other hand and I turned for an instant to speak to him and Ethel and her friends disappeared exactly as though the earth had opened。 So； I yelled after them； and Ethel said 〃Here； I am；〃 at my elbow。 It was like the chesire cat that kept appearing and disappearing until he made Alice dizzy。 We finally found a link…boy and he finally found the McCarthy's house； and I left them giving Ethel quinine and whiskey。 They wanted me to stay； but I could not face dressing； in the morning。 So I felt my way home and only got lost twice。 The Arch on Constitution Hill gave me much trouble。 I thought it was the Marble Arch； and hence In Jermyn Street I saw two lamps burning dimly and a voice said； hearing my footsteps 〃where am I？ I don't know where I am no more than nothing〃 I told him he was in Jermyn Street with his horse's head about twenty feet from St。 James There was a long dramatic silence and then the voice said 〃Well； I be blowed I thought I was in Pimlico！！！〃
This has been such a long letter that I shall have to skip any more。 I have NO sciatica chiefly because of the fur coat； I think； and I got two Christmas presents； one from Margaret Fraser and one from the Duchess of Sutherland Boxing Day I took Margaret to the matinee of the Pantomine and it lasted five hours； until six twenty； then I dressed and dined with the Hay's and went with them to the Barnum circus which began at eight and lasted until twelve。 It was a busy day。
Lots of love。 DICK。
LONDON； March 20； 1898。 DEAR MOTHER：
The Nellie Farren benefit was the finest thing I have seen this year past。 It was more remarkable than the Coronation； or the Jubilee。 It began at twelve o'clock on Thursday； but at ten o'clock Wednesday night； the crowd began to gather around Drury Lane； and spent the night on the sidewalk playing cards and reading and sleeping。 Ten hours later they were admitted； or a few of them were； as many as the galleries would hold。 Arthur Collins； the manager of the Drury Lane and the man who organized the benefit； could not get a stall for his mother the day before the benefit。 They were then not to be had； the last having sold for twelve guineas。 I got TWO the morning of the benefit for three pounds each； and now people believe that I did get into the Coronation！ The people who had stalls got there at ten o'clock； and the streets were blocked for 〃blocks〃 up to Covent Garden with hansoms and royal carriages and holders of tickets at fifty dollars apiece。 It lasted six hours and brought in thirty thousand dollars。 Kate Vaughan came back and danced after an absence from the stage of twelve years。 Irving recited The Dream of Eugene Aram； Terry played Ophelia； Chevalier sang Mrs。 Hawkins； Dan Leno gave Hamlet； Marie Tempest sang The Jewel of Asia and Hayden Coffin sang Tommy Atkins； the audience of three thousand people joining in the chorus； and for an encore singing 〃Oh； Nellie； Nellie Farren； may your love be ever faithful； may your pals be ever true； so God bless you Nellie Farren； here's the best of luck to you。〃 In Trial by Jury； Gilbert played an associate judge； the barristers were all playwrights； the jury the principal comedians； the chorus girls were real chorus girls from the Gaiety mixed in with leading ladies like Miss Jeffries and Miss Hanbury； who could not keep in step。 But the best part of it was the pantomime。 Ellaline came up a trap with a diamond dress and her hair down her back and electric lights all over her； and said； 〃I am the Fairy Queen；〃 and waved her wand； at which the 〃First Boy〃 in the pantomime said； 〃Go long； now； do； we know your tricks； you're Ellaline Terriss〃； and the clown said； 〃You're wrong； she's not； she's Mrs。 Seymour Hicks。〃 Then Letty Lind came on as Columbine in black tulle； and Arthur Roberts as the policeman； and Eddy Payne as the clown and Storey as Pantaloon。
The rest of it brought on everybody。 Sam Sothern played a 〃swell〃 and stole a fish。 Louis Freear； a housemaid； and all the leading men appeared as policemen。 No one had more than a line to speak which just gave the audience time to recognize him or her。 The composers and orchestra leaders came on as a German band； each playing an instrument； and they got half through the Washington Post before the policemen beat them off。 Then Marie Lloyd and all the Music Hall stars appeared as street girls and danced to the music of a hand…organ。 Hayden Coffin； Plunkett Greene and Ben Davies sang as street musicians and the clown beat them with stuffed bricks。 After that there was a revue of all the burlesques and comic operas； then the curtain was raised from the middle of the stage； and Nellie Farren was discovered seated at a table on a high stage with all the 〃legitimates〃 in frock…coats and walking dresses rising on benches around her。
The set was a beautiful wood scene well lighted。 Wyndham stood on one side of her； and he said the yell that went up when the curtain rose was worse than the rebel yell he had heard in battles。 In front of her； below the stage； were all the people who had taken part in the revue； forming a most interesting picture。 There was no one in the group who had not been known for a year by posters or photographs： Letty Lind as the Geisha； Arthur Roberts as Dandy Dan。 The French Girl and all the officers from The Geisha； the ballet girls from the pantomime； the bareback…riders from The Circus Girl； the Empire costumes and the monks from La Poupee； and all the Chinese and Japanese costumes from The Geisha。 Everybody on the stage cried and all the old rounders in the boxes cried。
It was really a wonderfully dramatic spectacle to see the clown and officers and Geisha girls weeping down their grease paint。 Nellie Farren's great song was one about a street Arab with the words： 〃Let me hold your； nag； sir； carry your little bag； sir； anything you please to givethank'ee； sir！〃 She used to close her hand； then open it and look at the palm； then touch her cap with a very wonderful smile； and laugh when she said； 〃Thank'ee； sir！〃 This song was reproduced for weeks before the benefit； and played all over London； and when the curtain rose on her； the orchestra struck into it and the people shouted as though it was the national anthem。 Wyndham made a very good address and so did Terry； then Wyndham said he would try to get her to speak。 She has lost the use of her hands and legs and can only walk with crutches； so he put his arm around her and her son lifted her from the other side and then brought her to her feet； both crying like children。 You could hear the people sobbing； it was so still。 She said； 〃Ladies and Gentleman；〃 looking at the
