CHAPTER XIV

sequencewasagainstit. “Thiswillneverdo,”saidTomBertramatlast.“Wearewastingtimemostabominably.Somethingmustbefixedon.Nomatterwhat,sothatsomethingischosen.Wemustnotbesonice.Afewcharacterstoomanymustnotfrightenus.Wemustdoublethem.Wemustdescendalittle.Ifapartisinsignificant,thegreaterourcreditinmakinganythingofit.FromthismomentImakenodifficulties.Itakeanypartyouchusetogiveme,soasitbecomic.Letitbutbecomic,Iconditionfornothingmore.” ForaboutthefifthtimehethenproposedtheHeiratLaw,doubtingonlywhethertopreferLordDuberleyorDr.Panglossforhimselfandveryearnestly,butveryunsuccessfully,tryingtopersuadetheothersthatthereweresomefinetragicpartsintherestoftheDramatisPerson?. Thepausewhichfollowedthisfruitlesseffortwasendedbythesamespeaker,who,takinguponeofthemanyvolumesofplaysthatlayonthetable,andturningitover,suddenlyexclaimed—“Lovers’Vows!AndwhyshouldnotLovers’VowsdoforusaswellasfortheRavenshaws?Howcameitnevertobethoughtofbefore?Itstrikesmeasifitwoulddoexactly.Whatsayyouall?HerearetwocapitaltragicpartsforYatesandCrawford,andhereistherhymingButlerforme,ifnobodyelsewantsitatriflingpart,butthesortofthingIshouldnotdislike,and,asIsaidbefore,Iamdeterminedtotakeanythinganddomybest.Andasfortherest,theymaybefilledupbyanybody.ItisonlyCountCasselandAnhalt.” Thesuggestionwasgenerallywelcome.Everybodywasgrowingwearyofindecision,andthefirstideawitheverybodywas,thatnothinghadbeenproposedbeforesolikelytosuitthemall.Mr.Yateswasparticularlypleased:hehadbeensighingandlongingtodotheBaronatEcclesford,hadgrudgedeveryrantofLordRavenshaw’s,andbeenforcedtore-rantitallinhisownroom.ThestormthroughBaronWildenheimwastheheightofhistheatricalambitionandwiththeadvantageofknowinghalfthescenesbyheartalready,hedidnow,withthegreatestalacrity,offerhisservicesforthepart.Todohimjustice,however,hedidnotresolvetoappropriateitforrememberingthattherewassomeverygoodranting-groundinFrederick,heprofessedanequalwillingnessforthat.HenryCrawfordwasreadytotakeeither.WhicheverMr.Yatesdidnotchusewouldperfectlysatisfyhim,andashortparleyofcomplimentensued.MissBertram,feelingalltheinterestofanAgathainthequestion,tookonhertodecideit,byobservingtoMr.Yatesthatthiswasapointinwhichheightandfigureoughttobeconsidered,andthathisbeingthetallest,seemedtofithimpeculiarlyfortheBaron.Shewasacknowledgedtobequiteright,andthetwopartsbeingacceptedaccordingly,shewascertainoftheproperFrederick.Threeofthecharacterswerenowcast,besidesMr.Rushworth,whowasalways