CHAPTER XXV. LESLIE WATERS AS A DRAMATIC STAR.

 A year passed; not an eventful year, however, nor did it materially change the position of the principal characters introduced in our story. Rupert was still a bell-boy in the Somerset Hotel. He had been raised three dollars a week, however, and was now receiving a salary of eight dollars, besides his board.

 

His friend Leslie Waters was doing satisfactory service at six dollars. He had by no means lost his love for the stage. He economized¹ on clothing in order to attend the theatre. It must be said that his taste was good, and that he preferred standard plays and good acting² to the sensational³ pieces that too often eclipse in success the better class of dramas. He had joined the Violet Dramatic Club of young men, meeting weekly somewhere on West Fourteenth Street. The members of the[Pg 235] club laboriously⁴ rehearsed short plays, and offered their services gratuitously⁵, or for a slight compensation, to charitable societies, and thus obtained some valuable training and a share of applause.

 

Of course Leslie Waters was always cast for a prominent part. Of all the members of the society he was the most ambitious, and the most willing to work. For a long time he tried to induce his fellow-members to essay a long play. He was particularly desirous of playing Claude Melnotte, in the "Lady of Lyons." The main difficulty, however, was in obtaining a young lady capable of playing Pauline. At length that difficulty was surmounted⁶. A young lady of eighteen, from Brooklyn, the cousin of one of the members of the club, who, like Leslie, thought herself born for the stage, offered her services, and was adjudged competent, although rather disposed to overdo⁷ the part.

 

One day Leslie brought to his friend Rupert a circular to the following effect:

 

[Pg 236]

 

"The Violet Dramatic Club beg leave to inform their friends and the public generally that they will produce Bulwer's noted⁸ play,

 

The Lady of Lyons,

 

At Amaranth Hall, on First Avenue, on the evening of Thursday, May 6, with the distinguished⁹ actor, Leslie Waters, in the character of Claude Melnotte. Miss Ida Strassburger, an accomplished¹⁰ amateur from Brooklyn, will appear as Pauline.

 

"Tickets, 25 and 50 cents."

 

"The proceeds will be given to the Society for the Relief of Indigent¹¹ Laundresses."

 

"What do you think of that, Rupert?" asked Leslie, with a complacent¹² smile.

 

"I congratulate you on your opportunity to make a hit. I am glad it is you, and not I, who is to play the part of Claude."

 

"Of course you would hardly be competent. If you would like some light part, like that of a servant, I think I might have got you into the cast."

 

"Thank you, Leslie, but I have no ambition in that direction. Who is the Pauline? Do you know her?"

 

"It is Ida Strassburger, of Brooklyn. She is a cousin of one of our members."

 

[Pg 237]

 

"How does she play?"

 

"Pretty well, but she has something of the Bowery style; that is, she rather overdoes¹³ her part. I have tried to tone her down."

 

"Does she look the part?"

 

"Well, no. I am sorry to say it, but she is rather short and fat. She is German, as you may guess from her name. Still I think she will do, if she will be guided by me. You see we can't afford to be too particular about a Pauline, for it is harder to get actresses than actors."

 

"Do you feel at all nervous about your first appearance in a star part?"

 

"Oh, no, I never was troubled with stage fright. I have considerable confidence in myself."

 

This was quite true. Had Leslie been requested to appear as Hamlet, he would have had no misgivings¹⁴, but with sufficient time for preparation would have walked on the stage prepared to enact¹⁵ the r?le of the melancholy¹⁶ Dane.

 

"I hope you will win the popular favor, and get your name before the public."

 

[Pg 238]

 

"I hope so. One of our members, who sometimes reports for the Evening News, has promised to write an account for that paper, and we hope to be noticed by the Sun and World."

 

"Suppose your father reads the account? Does he take either of these papers?"

 

"I hope he will. In fact I shall make sure that he does, for I will send the papers to him marked, getting you to address the wrappers. While he would object to my going on the stage professionally, I don't think he will mind my appearing for the benefit of a charitable society."

 

"Do you know anything about the Society for the Relief of Indigent Laundresses?"

 

"No."

 

"Yet you are going to work very hard for them."

 

"Oh, I don't care anything for the society. I would be willing to work for any society, as long as I got a chance to appear in a prominent part."

 

"I am not sure," said Rupert, laughing, "but I would like to have your club give a[Pg 239] performance for the benefit of destitute¹⁷ bell-boys."

 

"I am quite ready, if any such society should be formed."

 

"I'll think about forming one, though I am glad to say I don't know of any destitute bell-boys at present."

 

Rupert bought several tickets, and invited the entire Benton family, including his young charge, to attend the performance.

 

Mrs. Spenser and her daughters received an invitation from Leslie Waters himself. The widow felt quite flattered.

 

"I am sure, Mr. Waters," she said, "I am proud to think a distinguished actor like you is a lodger¹⁸ of mine. It will seem so odd to see you on the stage. I don't see how you can do it."

 

"It comes natural to me, Mrs. Spenser," said Leslie, much flattered.

 

"And do you think you will ever go on the stage as a regular business, Mr. Waters?"

 

"I will if I have a good opportunity. To be a bell-boy does not satisfy my ambition."

 

"It is a good, steady business."

 

[Pg 240]

 

"Yes, but I feel that I was born for higher things. Anyone can be a bell-boy, but there are few who are qualified¹⁹ to become actors."

 

"I wonder your friend Mr. Rollins doesn't act."

 

"Well, you see, Rupert is a very good fellow, but I don't think he is gifted enough to become an actor, that is, a prominent actor. I offered to get him the part of a servant, but he didn't care to attempt it. Some time, Mrs. Spenser, when a child is needed in any of my plays, I may get the chance for your Sophie."

 

"Oh, Mr. Waters, how kind you are. Do you really think Sophie could act?"

 

"Yes, if I should train her. You know not very much is expected of a child."

 

"I should feel so proud to see my little girl on the stage. Did you ever see Elsie Leslie act?"

 

"Yes, she is very clever. I only wish she were old enough, and would consent to take the part of Pauline. She would be far better than Ida Strassburger."

 

"Is she pretty?"

 

"She is fair-looking, but she is too fat.[Pg 241] However, she has a lover, a stout²⁰, young German, who, I understand, is jealous because on the stage I am to personate her lover. I presume he will be present. I will harrow him up by being a little extra affectionate."

 

"Now, Mr. Waters, you are really too bad. You ought to consider the feelings of the poor young man."

 

"His name is Otto Schaefer, and he is a butcher's assistant, I understand. I really hope he won't bring a butcher knife with him, for it might prove serious for me."

 

"Rupert," said Leslie in a mysterious tone, a few hours before the play, "I will tell you a secret if you won't breathe a word about it."

 

"Is it that you are engaged to the fair Pauline?"

 

"Oh, bother, no. Otto Schaefer may have her, if he wishes."

 

"What is it, then?"

 

"I have sent complimentary²¹ tickets to Palmer and Daly. Do you think they will come?"

 

"I imagine they are both very busy men, and cannot afford the time."

 

[Pg 242]

 

"I thought, if they should be impressed with my playing, one of them might offer me an engagement in his stock company."

 

"And you would like that?"

 

"Would I like it? It would make me supremely²² happy."

 

"Then you are not satisfied with the position of a bell-boy?"

 

"Certainly not. Are you?"

 

"For the present, yes."

 

"Should you be willing to be a bell-boy for the next twenty years?"

 

"No, I don't think I should, but I am still very young. I have just passed seventeen."

 

"And I am a year older. It is high time I entered upon my chosen vocation²³."

 

At length the eventful evening arrived. The hall was well filled, but the audience were from the neighborhood of First Avenue and Avenue A. Many of them were German or of German descent. The fact that Miss Strassburger, who was to play Pauline, was of Teutonic blood, doubtless accounted for this fact.

 

The play commenced and progressed[Pg 243] smoothly²⁴. The actors were well up in their parts. Ida Strassburger, to be sure, hardly looked aristocratic enough for Pauline, her figure being decidedly dumpy. She assumed a coquettish air, and from time to time glanced from the corner of her eye at a short, stout German young man who sat but a few feet from the stage.

 

It is needless to say that this was Otto Schaefer, her Brooklyn lover. He seemed restless and ill at ease, especially when there were any affectionate passages between Ida and Leslie. For instance, when Pauline has to say, "Sweet prince, tell me again of thy palace by the Lake of Como; it is so pleasant to hear of thy splendors²⁵ since thou didst swear to me that they would be desolate²⁶ without Pauline," Otto's lip curled with scorn, and he glared at the prince with a hostile eye.

 

Towards the end of the play, when Melnotte presents himself after a long absence, and Pauline, recognizing her husband, rushes into his arms, Otto could stand it no longer. He sprang from his seat, jumped on the stage, and called out in an excited tone to Leslie:[Pg 244] "You quit that! That gal²⁷ is my promised wife."

 

Instantly there was a chorus of exclamations²⁸, and half the audience rose to their feet in excitement.

1 economized   

v.节省，减少开支( economize的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• He economized by using trams instead of taking a taxi every time he went to school. 他上学搭电车而不坐出租汽车，以节省钱。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》
• He economized by using buses instead of taking taxis. 他不坐出租车而改乘公共汽车以节省钱。 来自辞典例句

2 acting   

n.演戏，行为，假装；adj.代理的，临时的，演出用的

参考例句：

• Ignore her,she's just acting.别理她，她只是假装的。
• During the seventies,her acting career was in eclipse.在七十年代，她的表演生涯黯然失色。

3 sensational   

adj.使人感动的，非常好的，轰动的，耸人听闻的

参考例句：

• Papers of this kind are full of sensational news reports.这类报纸满是耸人听闻的新闻报道。
• Their performance was sensational.他们的演出妙极了。

4 laboriously   

adv.艰苦地；费力地；辛勤地；（文体等）佶屈聱牙地

参考例句：

• She is tracing laboriously now. 她正在费力地写。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• She is laboriously copying out an old manuscript. 她正在费劲地抄出一份旧的手稿。 来自辞典例句

5 gratuitously   

平白

参考例句：

• They rebuild their houses for them gratuitously when they are ruined. 如果他们的房屋要坍了，就会有人替他们重盖，不要工资。 来自互联网
• He insulted us gratuitously. 他在毫无理由的情况下侮辱了我们。 来自互联网

6 surmounted   

战胜( surmount的过去式和过去分词 )； 克服（困难）； 居于…之上； 在…顶上

参考例句：

• She was well aware of the difficulties that had to be surmounted. 她很清楚必须克服哪些困难。
• I think most of these obstacles can be surmounted. 我认为这些障碍大多数都是可以克服的。

7 overdo   

vt.把...做得过头，演得过火

参考例句：

• Do not overdo your privilege of reproving me.不要过分使用责备我的特权。
• The taxi drivers' association is urging its members,who can work as many hours as they want,not to overdo it.出租车司机协会劝告那些工作时长不受限制的会员不要疲劳驾驶。

8 noted   

adj.著名的，知名的

参考例句：

• The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。
• Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。

9 distinguished   

adj.卓越的，杰出的，著名的

参考例句：

• Elephants are distinguished from other animals by their long noses.大象以其长长的鼻子显示出与其他动物的不同。
• A banquet was given in honor of the distinguished guests.宴会是为了向贵宾们致敬而举行的。

10 accomplished   

adj.有才艺的；有造诣的；达到了的

参考例句：

• Thanks to your help,we accomplished the task ahead of schedule.亏得你们帮忙,我们才提前完成了任务。
• Removal of excess heat is accomplished by means of a radiator.通过散热器完成多余热量的排出。

11 indigent   

adj.贫穷的，贫困的

参考例句：

• The town government is responsible for assistance to indigent people.镇政府负责给穷人提供帮助。
• A judge normally appoints the attorney for an indigent defendant at the defendant's first court appearence.法官通常会在贫穷被告人第一次出庭时，为其指派一名辩护律师。

12 complacent   

adj.自满的；自鸣得意的

参考例句：

• We must not become complacent the moment we have some success.我们决不能一见成绩就自满起来。
• She was complacent about her achievements.她对自己的成绩沾沾自喜。

13 overdoes   

v.做得过分( overdo的第三人称单数 )；太夸张；把…煮得太久；（工作等）过度

参考例句：

• She overdoes her acting. 她演得太做作。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
• He sometimes overdoes his part in the play. 他有时在剧中把他的角色演得过火了。 来自互联网

14 misgivings   

n.疑虑，担忧，害怕；疑虑，担心，恐惧( misgiving的名词复数 )；疑惧

参考例句：

• I had grave misgivings about making the trip. 对于这次旅行我有过极大的顾虑。
• Don't be overtaken by misgivings and fear. Just go full stream ahead! 不要瞻前顾后， 畏首畏尾。甩开膀子干吧！ 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

15 enact   

vt.制定(法律)；上演，扮演

参考例句：

• The U.S. Congress has exclusive authority to enact federal legislation.美国国会是唯一有权颁布联邦法律的。
• For example,a country can enact laws and economic policies to attract foreign investment fairly quickly.例如一个国家可以很快颁布吸引外资的法令和经济政策。

16 melancholy   

n.忧郁，愁思；adj.令人感伤（沮丧）的，忧郁的

参考例句：

• All at once he fell into a state of profound melancholy.他立即陷入无尽的忧思之中。
• He felt melancholy after he failed the exam.这次考试没通过，他感到很郁闷。

17 destitute   

adj.缺乏的；穷困的

参考例句：

• They were destitute of necessaries of life.他们缺少生活必需品。
• They are destitute of common sense.他们缺乏常识。

18 lodger   

n.寄宿人，房客

参考例句：

• My friend is a lodger in my uncle's house.我朋友是我叔叔家的房客。
• Jill and Sue are at variance over their lodger.吉尔和休在对待房客的问题上意见不和。

19 qualified   

adj.合格的，有资格的，胜任的，有限制的

参考例句：

• He is qualified as a complete man of letters.他有资格当真正的文学家。
• We must note that we still lack qualified specialists.我们必须看到我们还缺乏有资质的专家。

21 complimentary   

adj.赠送的，免费的，赞美的，恭维的

参考例句：

• She made some highly complimentary remarks about their school.她对他们的学校给予高度的评价。
• The supermarket operates a complimentary shuttle service.这家超市提供免费购物班车。

22 supremely   

adv.无上地，崇高地

参考例句：

• They managed it all supremely well. 这件事他们干得极其出色。
• I consider a supremely beautiful gesture. 我觉得这是非常优雅的姿态。

23 vocation   

n.职业，行业

参考例句：

• She struggled for years to find her true vocation.她多年来苦苦寻找真正适合自己的职业。
• She felt it was her vocation to minister to the sick.她觉得照料病人是她的天职。

24 smoothly   

adv.平滑地，顺利地，流利地，流畅地

参考例句：

• The workmen are very cooperative,so the work goes on smoothly.工人们十分合作，所以工作进展顺利。
• Just change one or two words and the sentence will read smoothly.这句话只要动一两个字就顺了。

25 splendors   

n.华丽( splendor的名词复数 )；壮丽；光辉；显赫

参考例句：

• The sun rose presently and sent its unobstructed splendors over the land. 没多大工夫，太阳就出来了，毫无阻碍，把它的光华异彩散布在大地之上。 来自辞典例句
• Her mortal frame could not endure the splendors of the immortal radiance. 她那世人的肉身禁不住炽热的神光。 来自辞典例句

26 desolate   

adj.荒凉的，荒芜的；孤独的，凄凉的；v.使荒芜，使孤寂

参考例句：

• The city was burned into a desolate waste.那座城市被烧成一片废墟。
• We all felt absolutely desolate when she left.她走后，我们都觉得万分孤寂。

27 gal   

n.姑娘，少女

参考例句：

• We decided to go with the gal from Merrill.我们决定和那个从梅里尔来的女孩合作。
• What's the name of the gal? 这个妞叫什么？

28 exclamations   

n.呼喊( exclamation的名词复数 )；感叹；感叹语；感叹词

参考例句：

• The visitors broke into exclamations of wonder when they saw the magnificent Great Wall. 看到雄伟的长城，游客们惊叹不已。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• After the will has been read out, angry exclamations aroused. 遗嘱宣读完之后，激起一片愤怒的喊声。 来自辞典例句