Part 11 (1/2)

”Leave that to me, Mr. Tinsley,” I said. ”I've knocked 'em in the provinces and I'll be surprised if I don't get a hand here in London.

Folks must be the same here as in Birkenhead or Glasga!”

”Don't you ever believe that, or it will steer you out of your way,”

he answered. ”They're a different sort altogether. You've got one of the hardest audiences in the world to please, right in this hall. I don't blame you for wanting to try it, though. If you should happen to bring it off your fortune's made.”

I knew that as well as he. And I knew that now it was all for me to settle. I didn't mean to blame the audience if I didn't catch on; I knew there would be no one to blame but myself. If I sang as well as I could, if I remembered all my business, if, in a word, I did here what I'd been doing richt along at hame and in the north of England, I needn't be afraid of the result, I was sure.

And then, I knew then, as I know noo, that when ye fail it's aye yer ain fault, one way or anither.

I wadna ha' been late that nicht for anything. 'Twas lang before ten o'clock when I was at Gatti's, waiting for it to be my turn. I was verra tired; I'd been going aboot since the early morn, and when it had come supper time I'd been sae nervous I'd had no thought o' food, nor could I ha' eaten any, I do believe, had it been set before me.

Weel, waitin' came to an end, and they called me on. I went oot upon the stage, laughin' fit to kill mysel', and did the walk aroond. I was used, by that time, to havin' the hoose break into laughter at the first wee waggle o' my kilt, but that nicht it was awfu' still. I keened in that moment what they'd all meant when they'd tauld me a London audience was different frae any ever I'd clapped een upon. Not that my een saw that one--the hoose micht ha' been ampty, for ought I knew! The stage went around and around me.

I began wi' ”Tobermory,” a great favorite among my songs in yon days.

And at the middle o' the first verse I heard a sound that warmed me and cheered me--the beginnings of a great laugh. The sound was like wind rising in the trees. It came down from the gallery, leaped across the stalls from the pit--oh, but it was the bonny, bonny sound to ma ears! It reached my heart--it went into my feet as I danced, it raised my voice for me!

”Tobermory” settled it--when they sang the chorus wi' me on the second voice, in a great, roaring measure, I knew I was safe. I gave them ”Calligan-Vall-Again” then, and ended with ”The La.s.s o' Killicrankie.”

I'd been supposed to ha' but a short turn, but it was hard for me to get off the stage. I never had an audience treat me better. 'Tis a great memory to this day--I'll ne'er forget that night in Gatti's old hall, no matter hoo lang I live.

But I was glad when I heard the shootin' and the clappin' dee doon, and they let the next turn go on. I was weak----I was nigh to faintin'

as I made my way to my dressing room. I had no the strength to be changin' ma clothes, just at first, and I was still sittin' still, tryin' to pull mysel' together, when Tinsley came rus.h.i.+ng in. He clapped his hand on my shoulder.

”Lauder, my lad, you've done it!” he cried. ”I never thought you could--you've proved every manager in London an a.s.s to-night!”

”You think I'll do?” I asked.

He was a generous man, was Tinsley.

”Do!” he said. ”You've made the greatest hit of the week when the news gets out, and you'll be having the managers from the West End halls camping on your doorstep. I've seen nothing like it in years. All London will be flocking here the rest in a long time.”

I needn't say, I suppose, that I was immediately engaged for the rest of that week at Gatti's. And Tinsley's predictions were verified, for the managers from the west end came to me as soon as the news of the hit I had made reached them. I bore them no malice, though some of them had been ruder than they need ha' been when I went to see them.

They'd had their chance; had they listened to me and recognized what I could do, they could ha' saved their siller. I'd ha' signed a contract at a pretty figure less the day after I reached London than I was willin' to consider the morning after I'd had my show at Gatti's.

I made verra profitable and happy arrangements wi' several halls, thanks to the London custom that's never spread much to America, that lets an artist appear at sometimes as many as five halls in a nicht.

The managers were still surprised; so was my agent.

”There's something about you they take to, though I'm blowed if I see what it is!” said one manager, with extreme frankness.

Noo, I'm a modest man, and it's no for me to be tellin' them that feel as he did what it is, maybe, they don't see. 'Deed, and I'm no sure I know mysel'. But here's a bit o' talk I heard between two costers as I was leavin' Gatti's that first nicht.

”Hi, Alf, wot' jer fink o' that Scotch bloke?” one of them asked his mate.

The other began to laugh.

”Blow me, 'Ennery, d'ye twig what 'e meant? I didn't,” he said. ”Not 'arf! But, lu'mme, eyen't he funny?”

Weel, after a', a manager can no do mair than his best, puir chiel.