When he left the room and went
up-stairs into the wings, it was in a vague sort of stupefaction; but
here were the immediate exigencies of the stage, and perhaps it was
better not to look too far ahead.
But it was with just a little sense of shame that he found, when the
piece was over, and they were ready to leave the theatre, that Miss
Burgoyne expected him to accompany her on her way home. If only he had
had sufficient courage, he might have said to her,
"Look here; we are engaged to be married, and I'm not going to back out;
I will fulfil my promise whenever you please. But for goodness' sake
don't expect me to play the lover--off the stage as well as on.
Sweethearting is a silly sort of business; don't we have enough every
evening before the footlights? Let us conduct ourselves as rational
human creatures--when we're not paid to make fools of ourselves. What
good will it do if I drive home with you in this hansom? Do you expect
me to put my arm round your waist? No, thanks; there isn't much novelty
in that kind of thing for Grace Mainwaring and Harry Thornhill."
And when eventually they did arrive in Edgeware Road, she could not
induce him to enter the house and have some bit of supper with herself
and her brother Jim.
Pages:
566
567
568
569
570
571
572
573
574
575
576
577
578
579
580
581
582
583
584
585
586
587
588
589
590