CHAPTER VI.

kingroundatme—aftertheprintwehaveattherectory.” “Thatwouldbeagoodattitudeforme,”saidGwendolen,inatoneofacceptance.Butafterwardshesaidwithdecision,“No.Itwillnotdo.Theremustbethreemeninpropercostume,elseitwillberidiculous.” “Ihaveit,”saidRex,afteralittlereflection.“HermioneasthestatueinWinter’sTale?IwillbeLeontes,andMissMerry,Paulina,oneoneachside.Ourdresswon’tsignify,”hewentonlaughingly“itwillbemoreShakespearianandromanticifLeonteslookslikeNapoleon,andPaulinalikeamodernspinster.” AndHermionewaschosenallagreeingthatagewasofnoconsequence,butGwendolenurgedthatinsteadofthemeretableauthereshouldbejustenoughactingofthescenetointroducethestrikingupofthemusicasasignalforhertostepdownandadvancewhenLeontes,insteadofembracingher,wastokneelandkissthehemofhergarment,andsothecurtainwastofall.Theantechamberwithfoldingdoorslentitselfadmirablytothepurposeofastage,andthewholeoftheestablishment,withtheadditionofJarrettthevillagecarpenter,wasabsorbedinthepreparationsforanentertainment,which,consideringthatitwasanimitationofacting,waslikelytobesuccessful,sinceweknowfromancientfablethatanimitationmayhavemorechanceofsuccessthantheoriginal. Gwendolenwasnotwithoutaspecialexultationintheprospectofthisoccasion,forsheknewthatHerrKlesmerwasagainatQuetcham,andshehadtakencaretoincludehimamongtheinvited. Klesmercame.Hewasinoneofhisplacid,silentmoods,andsatinserenecontemplation,replyingtoallappealsinbenignant-soundingsyllablesmoreorlessarticulate—astakinguphiscrossmeeklyinaworldovergrownwithamateurs,orascarefulhowhemovedhislionpawslestheshouldcrusharampantandvociferousmouse. Everythingindeedwentoffsmoothlyandaccordingtoexpectation—allthatwasimprovisedandaccidentalbeingofaprobablesort—untiltheincidentoccurredwhichshowedGwendoleninanunforeseenphaseofemotion.Howitcameaboutwasatfirstamystery. ThetableauofHermionewasdoublystrikingfromitsdissimilaritywithwhathadgonebefore:itwasansweringperfectly,andamurmurofapplausehadbeengraduallysuppressedwhileLeontesgavehispermissionthatPaulinashouldexerciseherutmostartandmakethestatuemove. Hermione,herarmrestingonapillar,waselevatedbyaboutsixinches,whichshecountedonasameansofshowingherprettyfootandinstep,whenatthegivensignalsheshouldadvanceanddescend. “Music,awakeher,strike!”saidPaulina(Mrs.Davilow,who,byspecialentreaty,hadconsentedtotakethepartinawhiteburnousandhood). HerrKlesmer,whohadbeengood-naturedenoughtoseathimselfatthepiano,struckathunderouschord—butinthesameinstant,andbeforeHermionehadputforthherfoot,themovablepanel,whichwasonalinewiththepiano,flewopenontherightoppositethestageanddisclosedthepictureofthedeadfaceandthefleeingfigure,broughtoutinpaledefinitenessbythepositionofthewax-lights.Everyonewasstartled,butalleyesintheactofturningtowardtheopenpanelwererecalledbyapiercingcryfromGwendolen,whostoodwithoutchangeofattitude,butwithachangeofexpressionthatwasterrifyinginitsterror.ShelookedlikeastatueintowhichasoulofFearhadentered:herpallidlipswerepartedhereyes,usuallynarrowedundertheirlonglashes,weredilatedandfixed.Hermother,lesssurprisedthanalarmed,rushedtowardher,andRex,too,couldnothelpgoingtoherside.Butthetouchofhermother’sarmhadtheeffectofanelectricchargeGwendolenfellonherkneesandputherhandsbeforeherface.Shewasstilltrembling,butmute,anditseemedthatshehadself-consciousnessenoughtoaimatcontrollinghersignsofterror,forshepresentlyallowedherselftoberaisedfromherkneelingpostureandledaway,whilethecompanywererelievingtheirmindsbyexplanation. “Amagnificentbitofplastikthat!”saidKlesmertoMissArrowpoint.Andaquickfireofundertonedquestionandanswerwentround. “Wasitpartoftheplay?” “Oh,no,surelynot.MissHarlethwastoomuchaffected.Asensitivecreature!” “Dearme!Iwasnotawarethattherewasapaintingbehindthatpanelwereyou?” “NohowshouldI?SomeeccentricityinoneoftheEarl’sfamilylongago,Isuppose.” “Howverypainful!Prayshutitup.” “Wasthedoorlocked?Itisverymysterious.Itmustbethespirits.” “Butthereisnomediumpresent.” “Howdoyouknowthat?Wemustconcludethatthereis,whensuchthingshappen.” “Oh,thedoorwasnotlockeditwasprobablythesuddenvibrationfromthepianothatsentitopen.” ThisconclusioncamefromMr.Gascoigne,whobeggedMissMerryifpossibletogetthekey.ButthisreadinesstoexplainthemysterywasthoughtbyMrs.Vulcanyunbecominginaclergyman,andsheobservedinanundertonethatMr.Gascoignewasalwaysalittletooworldlyforhertaste.However,thekeywasproduced,andtherectorturneditinthelockwithanemphasisratheroffensivelyrationalizing—aswhoshouldsay,“itwillnotstartopenagain”—puttingthekeyinhispocketasasecurity. However,Gwendolensoonreappeared,showingherusualspirits,andevidentlydeterminedtoignoreasfarasshecouldthestrikingchangeshehadmadeinthepartofHermione. ButwhenKlesmersaidtoher,“Wehavetothankyoufordevisingaperfectclimax:youcouldnothavechosenafinerbitofplastik,”therewasaflushofpleasureinherface.Shelikedtoacceptasabeliefwhatwasreallynomorethandelicatefeigning.Hedivinedthatthebetraya