"Sylvie dear, do help me to button this glove!" Lady Muriel whispered,
hastily stooping down, and failing to hear the question.
"And what will oo be next?" said Bruno.
"My next place will, I hope, be that of Groom. And after that--"
"Don't puzzle the child so!" Lady Muriel interrupted.
"What nonsense you talk!"
"--after that," Eric persisted, "I hope to obtain the situation of
Housekeeper, which--Fourth Act!" he proclaimed, with a sudden change of
tone. "Lights turned up. Red lights. Green lights. Distant rumble
heard. Enter a passenger-train!"
And in another minute the train drew up alongside of the platform,
and a stream of passengers began to flow out from the booking office and
waiting-rooms.
"Did you ever make real life into a drama?" said the Earl.
"Now just try. I've often amused myself that way.
Consider this platform as our stage. Good entrances and exits on both
sides, you see. Capital background scene: real engine moving up and down.
All this bustle, and people passing to and fro, must have been most
carefully rehearsed! How naturally they do it! With never a glance at
the audience! And every grouping is quite fresh, you see.
No repetition!"
It really was admirable, as soon as I began to enter into it from this
point of view. Even a porter passing, with a barrow piled with
luggage, seemed so realistic that one was tempted to applaud.
He was followed by an angry mother, with hot red face, dragging along
two screaming children, and calling, to some one behind, "John! Come on!"
Enter John, very meek, very silent, and loaded with parcels.
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