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第31节

whirligigs-第31节

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been a scream had it not possessed so pure a musical

quality。  She hurled back at the attacking four their

denunciations in tones sweet; but of too great carrying

power for a Broadway restaurant。



Finally they exhausted her patience both as a woman

and an artist。  She sprang up like a panther; managed

to smash half a dozen plates and glasses with one royal

sweep of her arm; and defied her critics。  They rose and

wrangled more loudly。  The comedian sighed and looked

a trifle sadder and disinterested。  The manager came

tripping and suggested peace。  He was told to go to the

popular synonym for war so promptly that the affair

might have happened at The Hague。



Thus was the manager angered。  He made a sign

with his hand and a waiter slipped out of the door。  In

twenty minutes the party of six was in a police station

facing a grizzled and philosophical desk sergeant。



〃Disorderly conduct in a restaurant;〃 said the police…

man who had brought the party in。



The author of 〃A Gay Coquette〃 stepped to the front。

He wore nose…glasses and evening clothes; even if his shoes

had been tans before they met the patent…leather…polish

bottle。



〃Mr。 Sergeant;〃 said he; out of his throat; like Actor

Irving; 〃I would like to protest against this arrest。  The 

company of actors who are performing in a little play

that I have written; in company with a friend and myself

were having a little supper。  We became deeply interested

in the discussion as to which one of the cast is responsible

for a scene in the sketch that lately has fallen so flat that

the piece is about to become a failure。  We may have

been rather noisy and intolerant of interruption by the

restaurant people; but the matter was of considerable

importance to all of us。  You see that we are sober and

are not the kind of people who desire to raise disturbances。

I hope that the case will not be pressed and that we may

be allowed to go。〃



〃Who makes the charge?〃  asked the sergeant。



〃Me;〃 said a white…aproned voice in the rear。  〃De

restaurant sent me to。 De gang was raisin' a rough…

house and breakin' dishes。〃



〃The dishes were paid for;〃 said the playwright。

〃They were not broken purposely。  In her anger; because

we remonstrated with her for spoiling the scene; Miss  〃



〃It's not true; sergeant;〃 cried the clear voice of Miss。

Clarice Carroll。  In a long coat of tan silk and a red…

plumed hat; she bounded before the desk。



〃It's not my fault;〃 she cried indignantly。  〃How…

dare they say such a thing!  I've played the title r鬺e

ever since it was staged; and if you want to know who made

it a success; ask the public  that's all。〃



〃What Miss Carroll says is true in part;〃 said the

author。  〃For five months the comedietta was a drawing…

card in the best houses。  But during the last two weeks

it has lost favour。  There is one scene in it in which Miss

Carroll made a big hit。  Now she hardly gets a hand out

of it。  She spoils it by acting it entirely different from

her old way。〃



〃It is not my fault;〃 reiterated the actress。



〃There are only two of you on in the scene;〃 argued

the playwright hotly; 〃you and Delmars; here  〃



〃Then it's his fault;〃 declared Miss Carroll; with a

lightning glance of scorn from her dark eyes。  The

comedian caught it; and gazed with increased melancholy

at the panels of the sergeant's desk。



The night was a dull one in that particular police station。



The sergeant's long…blunted curiosity awoke a little。



〃I've heard you;〃 he said to the author。  And then

he addressed the thin…faced and ascetic…looking lady

of the company who played 〃Aunt Turnip…top〃 in the

little comedy。

         

〃Who do you think spoils the scene you are fussing

about?〃  he asked。



〃I'm no knocker;〃 said that lady; 〃and everybody

knows it。  So; when I say that Clarice falls down every

time in that scene I'm judging her art and not herself。

She was great in it once。  She does it something fierce

now。  It'll dope the show if she keeps it up。〃



The sergeant looked at the comedian。



〃You and the lady have this scene together; I under…

stand。  I suppose there's no use asking you which one

of you queers it?〃



The comedian avoided the direct rays from the two

fixed stars of Miss Carroll's eyes。



〃I don't know;〃 he said; looking down at his patent…

leather toes。



〃Are you one of the actors?〃  asked the sergeant of

a dwarfish youth with a middle…aged face。



〃Why; say!〃  replied the last Thespian witness; 〃you

don't notice any tin spear in my hands; do you?  You

haven't heard me shout: 'See; the Emperor comes!' since

I've been in here; have you?  I guess I'm on the stage

long enough for 'em not to start a panic by mistaking me

for a thin curl of smoke rising above the footlights。〃



〃In your opinion; if you've got one;〃 said the sergeant;

〃is the frost that gathers on the scene in question

the work of the lady or the gentleman who takes

part in it?〃



The middle…aged youth looked pained。



〃I regret to say;〃 he answered; 〃that Miss Carroll

seems to have lost her grip on that scene。  She's all right

in the rest of the play; but  but I tell you; sergeant; she

can do it  she has done it equal to any of 'em  and

she can do it again。〃



Miss Carroll ran forward; glowing and palpitating。



〃Thank you; Jimmy; for the first good word I've had

in many a day;〃 she cried。  And then she turned her

eager face toward the desk。



〃I'll show you; sergeant; whether I am to blame。  I'll

show them whether I can do that same。  Come; Mr。

Delmars; let us begin。  You will let us; won't you;

sergeant?〃



〃How long will it take?〃  asked the sergeant; dubiously。



〃Eight minutes;〃 said the playwright。  〃The entire

play consumes but thirty。〃



〃You may go ahead;〃 said the sergeant。  〃Most of

you seem to side against the little lady。  Maybe she had

a right to crack up a saucer or two in that restaurant。

We'll see how she does the turn before we take that up。〃



The matron of the police station had been standing

near; listening to the singular argument。  She came

nigher and stood near the sergeant's chair。  Two or

three of the reserves strolled in; big and yawning。



〃Before beginning the scene;〃 said the playwright; 〃and

assuming that you have not seen a production of 'A Gay

Coquette;' I will make a brief but necessary explanation。

It is a musical…farce…comedy  burlesque…comedietta。

As the title implies; Miss Carroll's r鬺e is that of a gay;

rollicking; mischievous; heartless coquette。  She sustains

that character throughout the entire comedy part of the

production。  And I have designed the extravaganza

features so that she may preserve and present the same

coquettish idea。



〃Now; the scene in which we take exception to Miss

Carroll's acting is called the 'gorilla dance。' She is

costumed to represent a wood nymph; and there is a great

song…and…dance scene with a gorilla  played by Mr。

Delmars; the comedian。  A tropical…forest stage is set。



〃That used to get four and five recalls。  The main

thing was the acting and the dance  it was the funniest

thing in New York for five months。  Delmars's song;

'I'll Woo Thee to My Sylvan Home;' while he and Miss

Carroll were cutting hide…and…seek capers among the

tropical plants; was a winner。〃



〃What's the trouble with the scene now?〃  asked the

sergeant。



〃Miss Carroll spoils it right in the middle of it;〃 said

the playwright wrathfully。



With a wide gesture of her ever…moving arms the

actress waved back the little group of spectators; leaving

a space in front of the desk for the scene of her vindication

or fall。  Then she whipped off her long tan cloak and

tossed it across the arm of the policeman who still stood

officially among them。



Miss Carroll had gone to supper well cloaked; but

in the costume of the tropic wood nymph。  A skirt of

fern leaves touched her knee; she was like a humming…

bird  green and golden and purple。



And then she danced a fluttering; fantastic dance; so

agile and light and mazy in her steps that the other three

members of the Carroll Comedy Company broke into

applause at the art of it。



And at the proper time Delmars leaped out at    her

side; mimicking the uncouth; hideous bounds of the

gorilla so funnily that the grizzled sergeant himself gave

a short laugh like the closing of a padlock。  They danced

together the gorilla dance; and won a hand from all。



Then began the most fantastic part of the scene 

the wooing of the nymph by the gorilla。  It was a kind

of dance itself  eccentric and prankish; with the nymph

coquettish and seductive retreat; followed by the gorilla

as he sang 〃I'll Woo Thee to My Sylvan Home。〃



The song was a lyric of merit。  The words were non…

sense; as befitted the play; but the music was worthy of

something better。 

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