For a moment Dorothy felt as if she must make her way back after her friends—it was so terrifying to find herself in such a press—but a glance at the wavering canvas that now hid from the public the company of players and helpers, inspired her with new courage. She would go behind the scenes and see if that girl was Tavia!
In a short time the theatre was emptied, save for the ushers2 and the boys who dashed in and out among the rows of seats, picking up the scattered3 programmes, and making the place ready for the evening performance. One of the ushers, seeing Dorothy, walked over to her.
“Waiting for anybody?” he asked mechanically, without glancing up at her, but indicating that he was ready to turn up the seat before which she was standing4.
“Yes,” replied Dorothy.
“In the company?” he inquired next.
[173]
“Yes. The young lady who played Katherine.”
“This way,” the young man exclaimed snappily, but in no unpleasant tone. He led the way along the row of seats, down an isle5 and through a very narrow door that seemed to be made of black oil cloth.
Dorothy had no time to think of what was going to happen. It had all come about so quickly—she hardly knew how to proceed now—what name to ask for—or whether or not to give her own in case it was demanded. She wondered what the actress would think of her if Katherine did not turn out to be Tavia.
“You mean Miss Riceman,” the usher1 went on as he closed the narrow door. “This way, please,” and, the next moment, Dorothy found herself behind the scenes in a big city theatre.
The place was a maze6 of doors and passageways. Wires and ropes were in a seeming tangle7 overhead and all about were big wooden frames covered with painted canvas—scenes and flies that slid in and out at the two sides of a stage, and make up a very important part of a theatrical8 company’s outfit9.
[174]
These immense canvases seemed to be all over, and every time Dorothy tried to walk toward a door indicated by her guide, who had suddenly disappeared, she found she was in front of or behind some depiction10 of a building, or the side of a house or a street. Mechanics were busy all about her.
Suddenly a girl thrust her head from one of the many doors and shouted to an unseen person:
“Nellie! Nellie, dear! I’m ready for that ice-cream soda11. Get into your street togs quick or you’ll be having soup instead—”
“Nellie! Nellie!” came in a chorus from all sides, though the owners of the voices remained hidden, and then there rang out through the big space a spontaneous burst of a line from the chorus of the old song:
“I was seeing Nellie home. I was seeing Nellie home.
It was from Aunt Dinah’s quilting party, I was seeing Nellie home.”
[175]
Dorothy stood for a moment, not knowing what to do. This was better than the play, she thought, as she vaguely13 wondered what sort of life must be led behind the scenes. Then the thought of her position sent a chill over her. She must seek out the performer who went by the name of Miss Riceman, and then—
By this time a number of the characters appeared from their dressing14 rooms, and Dorothy stepped up to a girl with an enormous hat on her head, and a pair of very small shoes in her hand. As the girl sank gracefully15 down on an upturned box to adjust her ties, and, incidentally, to get a breath of air after the atmosphere of the stuffy16 dressing room, Dorothy asked timidly:
“Can you tell me where Miss Riceman’s dressing room is?”
“That first door to the left,” answered the girl, tilting17 her big hat back far enough to allow a glimpse of her questioner.
Dorothy stepped up to the door. Surely Tavia could not be there! Dorothy’s heart beat furiously. She was trembling so she could hardly knock, but managed to give a faint tap.
“Who?” called a girlish voice.
“Miss Dale,” answered Dorothy mechanically, feeling as if she would almost be willing to give up her search for Tavia if she could be well out of the place. There was a moment’s wait and then the door swung open.
[176]
“Come in,” invited the girl from within the little room. “Oh, you’re Miss—let me see—I’m afraid I’ve forgotten your name—you’re from the Leader, aren’t you?”
“No,” replied Dorothy, breathing easier, now that she found herself alone with a girl—a simple human being just like any other girl. “I am looking for—for a friend,” she went on, stammeringly18, “and I thought perhaps you could tell me—”
“You poor child,” interrupted Miss Riceman whose toilet was so unceremoniously interrupted “just come in and sit down on this trunk. Then let me get you something. You actually look ill.”
“I’m just—just a little fri—frightened,” Dorothy gasped19, for indeed she was now feeling queer and dizzy, and it was all getting black before her eyes.
[177]
“Nettie!” called the actress, “get me some cold water and call to the girls in the ‘Lair’ and see if they have made coffee. Hurry now,” to the woman who helped the actresses dress. Then she offered Dorothy a bottle of smelling salts. “Take a whiff of that,” she said kindly20. “The woman will be back soon with some ice water. I’m sorry you’re not well. Was it the smell from the gas lights? I don’t see why they make us poor actresses put up with them, when they have electric light in front. It’s abominable21! And the smoke from the powder they use to make the lightning! It fairly chokes me,” and she blew aside a curling wreath of vapor22 that sifted23 in through the door. A moment later the woman handed in a pitcher24 of water and a glass. “No coffee?” in answer to some message. “Well, all right.”
The actress flew over to a box that served as a dresser and poured out a glass of water for Dorothy. As she did so Dorothy had a chance to look at Katherine, whom she imagined might be Tavia. There was not the slightest resemblance now that the actress had her “make-up” off. How could a little paint, powder and the glare from the footlights perform such a miracle, thought Dorothy. This girl was as different from Tavia as Dorothy was herself. And yet she did look so like her—
“Now please don’t let me bother you so,” pleaded Dorothy, sitting up determinedly26 and trying to look as if nothing was the matter. But she sipped27 the water gladly. “I’m quite well now, thank you, Miss Riceman, and I’ll not detain you a moment longer from your dressing.”
[178]
“Nonsense, child, sit still. You won’t bother me the least bit. I’ll go right on. Now tell me who it is you’re looking for?”
Dorothy watched the actress toss aside a mass of brown hair that was so like Tavia’s. Then she saw a string pulled and—the wig28 came off. The real, naturally blond hair of Miss Riceman fell in a shower over her shoulders.
Turning to Dorothy the performer instantly realized that the scene was new to her visitor and, with that strange, subtle instinct which seems to characterize the artistic29 professional woman, she at once relieved the situation by remarking:
“Do you know we never feel like removing our ‘make-up’ before the reporters. Even women representatives of the press (and of course we never admit any others to our dressing rooms) have such a funny way of describing things that I should be mortally afraid of taking off my wig before one. I thought you were Miss—Oh, what’s her name—I never can think of it—from the Leader. I expected her to call. But, do you know that women reporters are just the dearest set of rascals30 in the world? They simply can’t help being funny when it’s a joke on you. Now, whom did you say you were looking for? I do rattle31 on so!”
[179]
All this, of course, was giving Dorothy time—and she needed it badly, for her story was by no means ready for a “dress rehearsal32.”
But there was something so self-assuring about the actress—she was not in the least coarse or loud-spoken—she was, on the contrary, the very embodiment of politeness. Dorothy felt she could talk freely with her about Tavia.
“I am looking for a young girl named Octavia Travers,” began Dorothy bravely, “and I thought possibly she might be with this company.”
“Was she with this company previously33? I don’t seem to recall the name.”
“Oh, I don’t know that she is with any company,” Dorothy hastened to add, feeling how foolish it must seem to be looking for a girl in a theatrical troupe34 when one had no more assurance that she might be with such a company than that she might be working in a department store.
“Haven’t you her address?” asked Miss Riceman, as she stood before the glass, daubing on some cold cream to remove the last of the “make-up” from her face.
[180]
The actress with the cream jar turned around in time to see the tears coming into Dorothy’s eyes. Miss Riceman dropped the jar down on her improvised36 dresser and came over to where her visitor sat on the trunk.
“Tell me all about it,” she said kindly, sitting down beside Dorothy. “Perhaps I can help you. She is not your sister, is she?”
“No,” was the answer, and then began a confidence of which Dorothy had scarcely believed herself capable. She told how Tavia was as much to her as a sister could be, and how she feared her chum had taken to the stage on account of her peculiarities37 while at school. Then Dorothy described Tavia’s appearance—how pretty she was—what beautiful hair she had.
“And her eyes,” Dorothy almost cried, “I have never seen eyes like Tavia’s. They are as soft a brown as the inside of a chestnut38 burr.”
“Exactly!” chimed in Miss Riceman. “I would not be surprised but that I saw that very girl the other day. It was in the manager’s office. She came alone and she looked—well—I knew at once that she was a total stranger to the business. And when the manager asked how old she was (for they have to be particular about age you know) I think she said seventeen, but I knew she was not quite as old as that.”
[181]
Dorothy clasped her hands in a strained gesture. How she wanted to find Tavia, yet how she feared to discover her in this way!
“If it was, she is with a company playing on the same circuit we do,” went on Miss Riceman. “Let me see,” and she consulted a slip of paper pinned to the wall. “Yes, they follow us in some towns. It was the ‘Lady Rossmore’s Secret’ company that the girl I am speaking about applied40 to, and I’m sure she was engaged, for I was interested in her appearance, and later I asked some one about her. Now the thing for you to do is to come to the manager’s office here to-morrow afternoon, between five and six. He has control of several companies, including the one I’m with and the L. R. S. as we call it for short, the ‘Lady Rossmore’s Secret’ I mean. Just ask him for your friend’s address—or, better still, just ask where the company is playing and she’ll be sure to be with it. He might not pay much attention to you if he thought you were looking for some one in particular and hadn’t any clue to her whereabouts.”
“I’ll do it,” said Dorothy determinedly, as she arose to go.
[182]
“Now don’t leave here until you are positive you feel all right,” cautioned Miss Riceman. “I’m sure I’m very glad to have met you and I hope I have been able to help you. I’m sorry I can’t tell you where the Rossmore company is, but I haven’t made a memoranda41 of the complete booking as I sometimes do. I thought I had it on a slip of paper but I find I haven’t.”
“Oh, I’m sure you’ve helped me a lot,” exclaimed Dorothy, hardly able to put her gratitude42 into words, but the busy little actress looked entirely43 satisfied with her visitor’s thanks as she showed Dorothy the way out of the stage door. She smiled cheerily at her as she waved her hand in good-bye and then she went back behind the scenes again, to her dressing room to resume the removal of the “make-up” from her face.
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收听单词发音
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1
usher
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| n.带位员，招待员；vt.引导，护送；vi.做招待，担任引座员 | |
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2
ushers
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| n.引座员( usher的名词复数 )；招待员；门房；助理教员v.引，领，陪同( usher的第三人称单数 ) | |
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3
scattered
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| adj.分散的，稀疏的；散步的；疏疏落落的 | |
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4
standing
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| n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的 | |
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5
isle
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| n.小岛，岛 | |
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6
maze
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| n.迷宫，八阵图，混乱，迷惑 | |
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7
tangle
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| n.纠缠；缠结；混乱；v.(使)缠绕；变乱 | |
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8
theatrical
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| adj.剧场的，演戏的；做戏似的，做作的 | |
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9
outfit
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| n.（为特殊用途的）全套装备，全套服装 | |
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10
depiction
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| n.描述 | |
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11
soda
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| n.苏打水；汽水 | |
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12
bass
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| n.男低音(歌手)；低音乐器；低音大提琴 | |
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13
vaguely
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| adv.含糊地，暖昧地 | |
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14
dressing
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| n.(食物)调料；包扎伤口的用品，敷料 | |
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15
gracefully
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| ad.大大方方地；优美地 | |
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16
stuffy
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| adj.不透气的，闷热的 | |
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17
tilting
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| 倾斜，倾卸 | |
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18
stammeringly
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| adv.stammering（口吃的）的变形 | |
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19
gasped
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| v.喘气( gasp的过去式和过去分词 )；喘息；倒抽气；很想要 | |
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20
kindly
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| adj.和蔼的，温和的，爽快的；adv.温和地，亲切地 | |
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21
abominable
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| adj.可厌的，令人憎恶的 | |
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22
vapor
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| n.蒸汽，雾气 | |
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23
sifted
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| v.筛( sift的过去式和过去分词 )；筛滤；细查；详审 | |
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24
pitcher
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| n.(有嘴和柄的)大水罐；(棒球)投手 | |
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25
spoke
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| n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说 | |
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26
determinedly
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| adv.决意地；坚决地，坚定地 | |
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27
sipped
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| v.小口喝，呷，抿( sip的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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28
wig
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| n.假发 | |
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29
artistic
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| adj.艺术(家)的，美术(家)的；善于艺术创作的 | |
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30
rascals
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| 流氓( rascal的名词复数 )； 无赖； （开玩笑说法）淘气的人（尤指小孩）； 恶作剧的人 | |
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31
rattle
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| v.飞奔，碰响；激怒；n.碰撞声；拨浪鼓 | |
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32
rehearsal
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| n.排练，排演；练习 | |
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33
previously
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| adv.以前，先前（地） | |
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34
troupe
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| n.剧团，戏班；杂技团；马戏团 | |
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35
miserably
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| adv.痛苦地；悲惨地；糟糕地；极度地 | |
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36
improvised
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| a.即席而作的,即兴的 | |
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37
peculiarities
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| n. 特质, 特性, 怪癖, 古怪 | |
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38
chestnut
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| n.栗树，栗子 | |
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39
faltered
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| （嗓音）颤抖( falter的过去式和过去分词 )； 支吾其词； 蹒跚； 摇晃 | |
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40
applied
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| adj.应用的；v.应用，适用 | |
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41
memoranda
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| n. 备忘录, 便条 名词memorandum的复数形式 | |
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42
gratitude
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| adj.感激，感谢 | |
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43
entirely
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| ad.全部地，完整地；完全地，彻底地 | |
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