those dim years, so far as eccentricity was concerned,
even bettered the proposal, and Charlotte, turning the
tale over, had long since drawn from it a measure of the
career renounced by the undistinguished comedienne-doubtless also tragic, or perhaps pantomimic, at a
pinch--of her late uncle's dreams. This career couldn't
have been eminent and must much more probably have
been comfortless.
"You see what it is--old stuff of the time she never liked
to mention."
Our young woman gave a start; her companion had after
all rejoined her and had apparently watched a moment
her slightly scared recognition. "So I said to myself,"
she replied. Then to show intelligence, yet keep clear of
twaddle: "How peculiar they look!"
"They look awful," said Arthur Prime. "Cheap gilt,
diamonds as big as potatoes. These are trappings of a
ruder age than ours. Actors do themselves better now."
"Oh now," said Charlotte, not to be less knowing,
"actresses have real diamonds."
"Some of them." Arthur spoke dryly.
"I mean the bad ones--the nobodies too."
"Oh some of the nobodies have the biggest. But mamma
wasn't of that sort."
5
HYLAND
