Part 29 (1/2)

Thanking Mr Vincent Cru Sh Street on their way to the theatre; feeling nervous and uncoh at the prospect of an immediate introduction to a scene so new to hiainst the walls and displayed in herein the names of Mr Vincent Crummles, Mrs Vincent Crummles, Master Crummles, Master P Crue letters, and everything else in very sth into an entry, in which was a strong se-peel and laroped their way through a dark passage, and, descending a step or two, threaded a little ed upon the stage of the Portsmouth Theatre

'Here we are,' said Mr Cruht, but Nicholas found hi bare walls, dusty scenes, mildewed clouds, heavily daubed draperies, and dirty floors He looked about his, and decorations of every kind,-all looked coarse, cold, gloomy, and wretched

'Is this a theatre?' whispered Sht and finery'

'Why, so it is,' replied Nicholas, hardly less surprised; 'but not by day, Ser's voice recalled hi, to the opposite side of the proscenius and of an oblong shape, sat a stout, portly female, apparently between forty and fifty, in a tarnished silk cloak, with her bonnet dangling by the strings in her hand, and her hair (of which she had a great quantity) braided in a large festoon over each teiven the nas had bestowed upon his), 'let lad to see you, sir,' said Mrs Vincent Crulad to see you, and stillmember of our corps'

The lady shook Nicholas by the hand as she addressed hie one, but had not expected quite such an iron grip as that hich she honoured hiic actresses cross when they obey a stage direction, 'and this is the other You too, are welcoer, taking a pinch of snuff

'He is admirable,' replied the lady 'An acquisition indeed'

As Mrs Vincent Crume froirl in a dirty white frock with tucks up to the knees, short trousers, sandaled shoes, white spencer, pink gauze bonnet, green veil and curl papers; who turned a pirouette, cut twice in the air, turned another pirouette, then, looking off at the opposite wing, shrieked, bounded forward to within six inches of the footlights, and fell into a beautiful attitude of terror, as a shabby gentleman in an old pair of buff slippers ca his teeth, fiercely brandished a walking-stick

'They are going through the Indian Savage and the Maiden,' said Mrs Cruer, 'the little ballet interlude Very good, go on A little this way, if you please, Mr Johnson That'll do Now!'

The nal to proceed, and the savage, beco ferocious, made a slide towards the maiden; but the maiden avoided him in six twirls, and came down, at the end of the last one, upon the very points of her toes This seee; for, after a little an to relent, and stroked his face several ti that he was struck with ad upon the ian to hit himself severe thu desperately in love, which being rather a prosy proceeding, was very likely the cause of theasleep; whether it was or no, asleep she did fall, sound as a church, on a sloping bank, and the savage perceiving it, leant his left ear on his left hand, and nodded sideways, to intiht concern that she WAS asleep, and no shae had a dance, all alone Just as he left off, the ot off the bank, and had a dance all alone too-such a dance that the savage looked on in ecstasy all the while, and when it was done, plucked fro a se, and offered it to the e shedding tears relented Then the savage jumped for joy; then the maiden jue Then the savage and the e dropped down on one knee, and thethe ballet, and leaving the spectators in a state of pleasing uncertainty, whether she would ultie, or return to her friends

'Very well indeed,' said Mr Crummles; 'bravo!'

'Bravo!' cried Nicholas, resolved to'Beautiful!'

'This, sir,' said Mr Vincent Cru the maiden forward, 'this is the infant phenohter?' inquired Nicholas

'My daughter-hter,' replied Mr Vincent Cruo into, sir We have had coirl, sir, froland'

'I am not surprised at that,' said Nicholas; 'she enius'

'Quite a-!' Mr Cruh to describe the infant phenomenon 'I'll tell you what, sir,' he said; 'the talent of this child is not to be iined She must be seen, sir-seen-to be ever so faintly appreciated There; go to your mother, my dear'

'May I ask how old she is?' inquired Nicholas

'Yousteadily in his questioner's face, as so i to say 'She is ten years of age, sir'

'Not more!'

'Not a day'

'Dear me!' said Nicholas, 'it's extraordinary'

It was; for the infant phenoed countenance, and had e-not perhaps to the full extent of the ood years But she had been kept up late every night, and put upon an unliin-and-water fro tall, and perhaps this syste had produced in the infant phenomenon these additional phenoentle shoes on his feet, and his slippers in his hand, to within a few paces, as if desirous to join in the conversation Deeood opportunity, he put in his word

'Talent there, sir!' said the savage, nodding towards Miss Crummles

Nicholas assented

'Ah!' said the actor, setting his teeth together, and drawing in his breath with a hissing sound, 'she oughtn't to be in the provinces, she oughtn't'

'What do you er

'I ood for country boards, and that she ought to be in one of the large houses in London, or nowhere; and I tell youthe matter, that if it wasn't for envy and jealousy in some quarter that you know of, she would be Perhaps you'll introduce er, presenting him to Nicholas

'Happy to know you, sir' Mr Folair touched the brier, and then shook hands 'A recruit, sir, I understand?'

'An unworthy one,' replied Nicholas

'Did you ever see such a set-out as that?' whispered the actor, drawing him away, as Crummles left them to speak to his wife

'As what?'

Mr Folair made a funny face from his pantomime collection, and pointed over his shoulder

'You don't , sir,' replied Mr Folair 'There isn't a female child of common sharpness in a charity school, that couldn't do better than that She hter'

'You seem to take it to heart,' observed Nicholas, with a smile

'Yes, by Jove, and well Ihih to make a man crusty to see that little sprawler put up in the best business every night, and actually keepingforced down the people's throats, while other people are passed over? Isn't it extraordinary to see ahim, even to his own interest? Why I KNOW of fifteen and sixpence that caht last ; and what's the consequence? I've never been put up in it since-never once-while the ”infant phenoh artificial flowers at five people and a baby in the pit, and two boys in the gallery, every night'

'If I e from what I have seen of you,' said Nicholas, 'you must be a valuablehis slippers together, to knock the dust out; 'I CAN come it pretty well-nobody better, perhaps, in ets here, is like putting lead on one's feet instead of chalk, and dancing in fetters without the credit of it Holloa, old fello are you?'

The gentleman addressed in these latter words was a dark-co thick black hair, and very evident inclinations (although he was close shaved) of a stiff beard, and whiskers of the sah ht would have considered hi, and very pale, froe paint He wore a checked shi+rt, an old green coat with new gilt buttons, a neckerchief of broad red and green stripes, and full blue trousers; he carried, too, a co-stick, apparently more for show than use, as he flourished it about, with the hooked end doards, except when he raised it for a few seconds, and throwing hi attitude, made a pass or two at the side-scenes, or at any other object, aniood entle a thrust at his friend, who parried it dexterously with his slipper, 'what's the news?'

'A new appearance, that's all,' replied Mr Folair, looking at Nicholas

'Do the honours, To him reproachfully on the crown of the hat with his stick