These thronged the
stalls, and every one of them was a dear friend of Lady Holme's. Among
them were Lady Cardington, Lady Manby, Sally Perceval with her
magnificently handsome and semi-idiotic husband, old Lady Blower, in a
green cap that suggested the bathing season, Robin Pierce and Mr. Bry.
Smart Americans were scattered all over the house. Most of them had
already seen the play in New York during the preceding winter, and nearly
everyone in the stalls had seen the French original in Paris. The French
piece had been quite shocking and quite delicious. Every Royalty /de
passage/ in Paris had been to see it, and one wandering monarch had gone
three nights running, and had laughed until his gentleman-in-waiting
thought the heir to his throne was likely to succeed much sooner than was
generally expected.
The Holmes came in early. Lady Holme hated arriving anywhere early, but
Lord Holme was in such a prodigious fuss about being in plenty of time to
give Miss Schley a "rousin' welcome," that she yielded to his bass
protestations, and had the satisfaction of entering their box at least
seven minutes before the curtain went up. The stalls, of course, were
empty, and as they gradually filled she saw the faces of her friends
looking up at her with an amazement that under other circumstances might
have been amusing, but under these was rather irritating. Mr. Laycock
arrived two minutes after they did, and was immediately engaged in a
roaring conversation by Fritz.
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