258 



CHINESE THEATKICALS. 



Chap. XII. 



is most admirable, and always deceives any fo- 

 reigner ignorant of tlie fact I have stated. 



In the present instance each actor repeated his 

 part in a singing falsetto voice. The whole inte- 

 rest of the piece must have lain in the story itself, 

 for there was nothing natural in the acting, the 

 sham s\^ ord-fights perhaps excepted. One or two 

 of these occurred in the piece during the time I 

 was a spectator, and they were certainly natural 

 enough, thoroughly Chinese and very amusing. 

 An actor rushed upon the stage amid the clashing 

 of timbrels, beating of gongs, and squeaking of 

 other instruments. He was brandishing a short 

 sword in each hand, now and then wheeling 

 round apparently to protect himself in the rear, 

 and all the time performing the most extraordinary 

 actions with his feet, which seemed as if they had 

 to do as much of the fighting as the hands. People 

 who have seen much of the manoeuvring of Chi- 

 nese troops will not call this unnatural acting. 

 But whatever a foreigner might think of such 

 " artistes," judging from the intense interest and 

 boisterous mirth of a numerous audience, they 

 performed their parts to the entire satisfaction of 

 their patrons and the public. 



" How-pa-how," said my kind friends, as I rose 

 to take my leave; ''is it good or bad?" Of 

 course I expressed my entire approbation, and 

 thanked them for the excellent view I had enjoyed 

 of the performance through their politeness. It 

 was now night — dark — the lanterns were lighted. 



