14 CASUALS IN THE CAUCASUS 



to enhance mysteriously the price of so many quite 

 mediocre pictures, would make it Art, wouldn't it ? 



What a difference a set value makes to our good 

 opinion. How the charm of anything is heightened 

 by its market value, fictitious or otherwise. The 

 illustrious names of the men who might have painted 

 it endowed the featureless square with an aura of 

 mystical distinction impossible to throw off. 



It was something to ten o'clock by the time we 

 got to the room hired for purposes of rehearsal, where 

 we found a bored soldierly-looking man sitting at a 

 dusty table pencilling the music-score. 



" Didn't you all know the call was fixed for nine 

 o'clock ? " he rapped out, " It is outrageous expecting 

 me to waste my time like this." Then, seeing we 

 were not of the company, he listened uninterestedly 

 to our hostess's introduction of us, said he was a stage- 

 manager, and relapsed into torpor until roused by a 

 few Thespians, who casually strolled in. 



" What time do you suppose we shall get this re- 

 hearsal over ? " asked the Major-Manager. " Have 

 you got your lines up ? " 



" Mine aren't really worth learning," answered a 

 dissatisfied R.G.A. youth. "The whole thing only 

 covers half a page. But, of course, it is your own look- 

 out, I should have been much better as a principal. 

 A fellow of my attainments presented with half a page 

 and no opportunities of distinguishing myself ! I have 

 a great mind to throw it all up, but I don't want to 

 leave you in the lurch." 



" Tra-la ! Tra-la ! " practised somebody's A.D.C. 



