CHAPTER XIX

Thomashadbeenagooddealsurprisedtofindcandlesburninginhisroomandoncastinghiseyeroundit,toseeothersymptomsofrecenthabitationandageneralairofconfusioninthefurniture.Theremovalofthebookcasefrombeforethebilliard-roomdoorstruckhimespecially,buthehadscarcelymorethantimetofeelastonishedatallthis,beforethereweresoundsfromthebilliard-roomtoastonishhimstillfarther.Someonewastalkingthereinaveryloudaccenthedidnotknowthevoice—morethantalking—almosthallooing.Hesteppedtothedoor,rejoicingatthatmomentinhavingthemeansofimmediatecommunication,and,openingit,foundhimselfonthestageofatheatre,andopposedtoarantingyoungman,whoappearedlikelytoknockhimdownbackwards.AttheverymomentofYatesperceivingSirThomas,andgivingperhapstheverybeststarthehadevergiveninthewholecourseofhisrehearsals,TomBertramenteredattheotherendoftheroomandneverhadhefoundgreaterdifficultyinkeepinghiscountenance.Hisfather’slooksofsolemnityandamazementonthishisfirstappearanceonanystage,andthegradualmetamorphosisoftheimpassionedBaronWildenheimintothewell-bredandeasyMr.Yates,makinghisbowandapologytoSirThomasBertram,wassuchanexhibition,suchapieceoftrueacting,ashewouldnothavelostuponanyaccount.Itwouldbethelast—inallprobability—thelastsceneonthatstagebuthewassuretherecouldnotbeafiner.Thehousewouldclosewiththegreatesteclat. Therewaslittletime,however,fortheindulgenceofanyimagesofmerriment.Itwasnecessaryforhimtostepforward,too,andassisttheintroduction,andwithmanyawkwardsensationshedidhisbest.SirThomasreceivedMr.Yateswithalltheappearanceofcordialitywhichwasduetohisowncharacter,butwasreallyasfarfrompleasedwiththenecessityoftheacquaintanceaswiththemannerofitscommencement.Mr.Yates’sfamilyandconnexionsweresufficientlyknowntohimtorenderhisintroductionasthe“particularfriend,”anotherofthehundredparticularfriendsofhisson,exceedinglyunwelcomeanditneededallthefelicityofbeingagainathome,andalltheforbearanceitcouldsupply,tosaveSirThomasfromangeronfindinghimselfthusbewilderedinhisownhouse,makingpartofaridiculousexhibitioninthemidstoftheatricalnonsense,andforcedinsountowardamomenttoadmittheacquaintanceofayoungmanwhomhefeltsureofdisapproving,andwhoseeasyindifferenceandvolubilityinthecourseofthefirstfiveminutesseemedtomarkhimthemostathomeofthetwo. Tomunderstoodhisfather’sthoughts,andheartilywishinghemightbealwaysaswelldisposedtogivethembutpartialexpression,begantosee,moreclearlythanhehadeverdonebefore,thattheremightbesomegroundofoffence,thattheremightbesomereasonfortheglancehisfathergavetowardstheceilingandstuccooftheroomandthatwhenheinquiredwithmildgravityafterthefateofthebilliard-table,hewasnotproceedingbeyondaveryallowablecuriosity.AfewminuteswereenoughforsuchunsatisfactorysensationsoneachsideandSirThomashavingexertedhimselfsofarastospeakafewwordsofcalmapprobationinreplytoaneagerappealofMr.Yates,astothehappinessofthearrangement,thethreegentlemenreturnedtothedrawing-roomtogether,SirThomaswithanincreaseofgravitywhichwasnotlostonall. “Icomefromyourtheatre,”saidhecomposedly,ashesatdown“Ifoundmyselfinitratherunexpectedly.Itsvicinitytomyownroom—butineveryrespect,indeed,ittookmebysurprise,asIhadnotthesmallestsuspicionofyouractinghavingassumedsoseriousacharacter.Itappearsaneatjob,however,asfarasIcouldjudgebycandlelight,anddoesmyfriendChristopherJacksoncredit.”Andthenhewouldhavechangedthesubject,andsippedhiscoffeeinpeaceoverdomesticmattersofacalmerhuebutMr.Yates,withoutdiscernmenttocatchSirThomas’smeaning,ordiffidence,ordelicacy,ordiscretionenoughtoallowhimtoleadthediscoursewhilehemingledamongtheotherswiththeleastobtrusivenesshimself,wouldkeephimonthetopicofthetheatre,wouldtormenthimwithquestionsandremarksrelativetoit,andfinallywouldmakehimhearthewholehistoryofhisdisappointmentatEcclesford.SirThomaslistenedmostpolitely,butfoundmuchtooffendhisideasofdecorum,andconfirmhisill-opinionofMr.Yates’shabitsofthinking,fromthebeginningtotheendofthestoryandwhenitwasover,couldgivehimnootherassuranceofsympathythanwhataslightbowconveyed. “Thiswas,infact,theorigino