14 



act 2, scene 1 place, leftcue t Unknown fate/ What's next, 

 ha ? Go on ' The heavens ' " 



" Oh, yes," said Miss Lucina, " I recollect 



" ' The heavens forbid 



But that our loves and comforts should increase 

 Even as our days do grow/ " 



" Make a pause here and there," said the old gentleman, who was 

 a great critic in his own estimation. ' But that our loves and com- 

 forts should increase' emphasis on the last syllable, ' crease,' loud 

 ' even' one, two, three, four; then loud again, ' as our days do 

 grow ;' emphasis on days. That's the way, my dear ; trust to your 

 uncle for emphasis. Ah ! Sem, my boy, how are you ?" 



" Very well, thanky'e uncle," returned Mr. Sempronius, who had 

 just appeared, looking something like a ring-dove, with a small circle 

 round each eye, the result of his constant corking. " Of course we 

 see you on Thursday." 



" Of course, of course, my dear boy." 



" What a pity it is, your nephew didn't think of making you 

 prompter, Mr. Balderstone," whispered Mrs. Joseph Porter ; tc you 

 would have been invaluable." 



" Well, I flatter myself, I should have been tolerably up to the 

 thing," responded Uncle Tom. 



" I must bespeak sitting next you on the night," resumed Mrs. 

 Porter ; " and then, if our dear young friends here should be at all 

 wrong, you will be able to enlighten me. I shall be so interested." 



" I am sure I shall be most happy to give you any assistance in 

 my power, mem." 



" Mind, it's a bargain." 



" Certainly." 



" I don't know how it is," said Mrs. Gattleton to her daughters, as 

 they were sitting round the fire in the evening, looking over their 

 parts, " but I really very much wish Mrs. Joseph Porter wasn't 

 coming on Thursday. I am sure she's scheming something." 



" She can't make us ridiculous, however," observed Mr. Sempro- 

 nius Gattleton, haughtily. 



The long-looked for Thursday arrived in due course, and brought 

 with it, as Mr. Gattleton, senior, philosophically observed, " no dis- 

 appointments, to speak of." True, it was yet a matter of doubt 

 whether Cassio would be enabled to get into the dress which had 

 been sent for him from the masquerade warehouse. It was equally 

 uncertain whether the principal female singer would be sufficiently 

 recovered from the influenza to make her appearance; Mr. Harfield, 

 the Masaniello of the night, was hoarse, and rather unwell, in conse- 

 quence of the great quantity of lemon and sugar-candy he had eaten 

 to improve his voice ; and two flutes and a violoncello had pleaded 

 severe colds. What of that? the audience were all coming. Every 

 body knew his part ; the dresses were covered with tinsel and span- 

 gles ; the white plumes looked beautiful ; Mr. Evans had practised 

 falling, till he was bruised from head to foot, and quite perfect ; and 



