Ellen Percy; or, The Memoirs of an Actress — page 103: what you’re looking at

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90 ELLEN PERCY; OR, THE MEMOIRS OF AN ACTRESS. ee Se Ee if we supposed that she had made some little change in her raiment during that period. How- ever, so it was—in this manner cid the Princess appear—and she also began to soliloquise for some little while ” it would seem, Mr. Jingleton, that the good old King had become a bit of a tyrant ?” | ©Well, Miss Trafford, you must make some little allowance for afflictions and sorrows, which are terribly souring to the temper—particularly of “ Without seeing her royal grandfather, of Kings!” course ?” I said. “Oh, of course!” ejaculated Mr. Jingleton ; because she was not to see him until she reached a particular part, when the King interjected something ; and then with a ery of joy on behold- ing him, she threw herself into his arms. This always proved an effective point — particularly with the Gallery. It gave the old King a fine opportunity of displaying silent emotion; while the Princess Mimosetta found an equally good opportunity for a passionate appeal to her grand- sire to restore her bridegroom to her arms.” “But the King had not taken the Prince away from her,” I remarked. “No, Miss Trafford: but yet I think it was a natural hit on my part—I mean in respect to what I thus made Princess Mimosetta do: for when people are in affliction they always appeal to their friends or relatives to extricate them, just for all the world as if the persons thus appealed to could perform impossibilities !” — “ as , tS Aw P ’ J : “ Yes—and so it was in this case,” I said ; « for even if the old King had taken away the Prince | from his granddaughter, he could not very easily restore him to her arms so long as he maintained the form of a rat. But I beg you to proceed. What happened next P” tol “The King waited till his granddaughter had finished that long and passionate appeal; and then he acquainted the Princess with his dream. She was rejoiced 4 _ “But why did he not at once tell her of the vision,” I inquired, “and put as speedy an end as possible to the agony of her griof Pe ; ‘And then what would have become of the pathetic speech which I had taken so much pains to compose for the Princess Mimosetta ? It would have been rendered useless; and my feelings as an author would have been sacrificed for the mere | purpose of making the incidents of the piece seem a trifle more natural !” “Ah! under those circumstances,” I said, scarcely able to maintain my gravity, “it was better to make the piece so progress that nature should be outraged instead of your feelings.” “To be sure, Miss Trafford!” rejoined Mr. Jingleton: “that is precisely the way in which authors, whether dramatists or novelists, always reason. But to resume the thread of my descrip- tion. I was stating that the King informed his granddaughter of his vision, and she was de- lighted. She insisted upon having a golden trap made, as one of that precious metal was alone worthy for so great a purpose. The King accord- ingly sent for a goldsmith, who undertook to make such a trap in three hours i “Three days you mean?” I interjected. “ No—three hours. Trafford, that science and art can accomplish miracles in that Unknown Island. Besides, his Majesty threatened to cut off the goldsmith’s head if he did not use the utmost despatch (A “JT admit that such an argument must have been persuasive enough with the goldsmith. But Ts nde ne eR ee ag eee We must suppose, Miss | “No doubt. So the golden cage was to be made in three hours _ * Yes. And now the courtiers, the guards, the heralds, and the populace all came crowding around their Monarch and the Princess to offer their congratulations on account of the hope which has presented itself;—and the third scene closes with a tableau alike affecting and effective. The fourth scene,” continued Mr Singleton, rushing on with scarcely a break, for he was doubtless afraid that I should seize. the. opportunity to cut his de- 1) laa | a fourth scene opens with the representation of a beautiful garden. In short, it is the palace-garden; and it is filled with trees covered with the most, delicious fruits. There the Musical Musk-Rat is discovered at his sports; for this is ths scene specially intended for the display of the dwarf’s qualities. With surprising nimble- ness he darted up the trees—swung himself from branch to branch—then rushed along the stage— | bounded over the footlights and sprang into the ‘pit. From the pit he darted up into the boxes— ascended to the gallery—swung himself by wires across the. ceiling —lowered himself to the stage again—and recommenced his antics amidst tke trees. First and Second Citizen enter. First Citizen tells Second Citizen that ever since his dreadful transformation the unfortunate Prince has lived in that garden. Then commences that splendid speech where Second Citizen says, ‘ Full well I know ib all: the city too doth know the sanie as you yourself do know !’ ” ot “Then why did the First Citizen tell the Second Citizen a thing that was so well known?” I asked, though of course I Could easily anticipate what the answer would be. Tea. © =e “ The audience did not, know it,” answered Mr, Jingleton. “ But that splendid speech “You must really spare the speech,” I said,. again looking at my watch ; “and get on with the description. The rat, you say, was disporting in the gardens si ‘ Yes—and a most delicious odour of musk was diffused around. There was seldom a night that some old lady did not faint and have to be carried out into the lobby, where very few of them ever recovered until hot brandy-and-water had been poured down their throats te *¢* The odour of the musk must have been very powerful,” I remarked. “Very, Miss Trafford. At the same time the orchestra sent out low strains of a delicious music; and this was done so effectively that it really seemed as if the rat itself were the source of the melody. So, altogether, the effect was admirable, and the hero seemed. well to deserve the appella- tion of the Musical Musk-Rat.” “ And a happy ending soon came, I suppose ?” [ said. “Not quite yet, Miss Trafford,” answered the dramatic author. ‘The golden cage was brought into the garden: the King and Princess followed, attended by the whole Court ; and Mimosetta with ‘her own beautiful hand plucked an orange from » CORNICLOOC) (E@)