1.

　　The violins soared to one last high note: the bassoon uttered a finalmoan: the pensive person at the end of the orchestra-pit, just underMrs Waddesleigh Peagrim's box, whose duty it was to slam the drum atstated intervals, gave that much-enduring instrument a concludingwallop; and, laying aside his weapons, allowed his thoughts to strayin the direction of cooling drinks. Mr Saltzburg lowered the batonwhich he had stretched quivering towards the roof and sat down andmopped his forehead. The curtain fell on the first act of "The Roseof America," and simultaneously tremendous applause broke out fromall over the Gotham Theatre, which was crammed from floor to roofwith that heterogeneous collection of humanity which makes up theaudience of a New York opening performance. The applause continuedlike the breaking of waves on a stony beach. The curtain rose andfell, rose and fell, rose and fell again. An usher, stealing down thecentral aisle, gave to Mr Saltzburg an enormous bouquet of AmericanBeauty roses, which he handed to the prima donna, who took it with abrilliant smile and a bow nicely combining humility with joyfulsurprise. The applause, which had begun to slacken, gathered strengthagain. It was a superb bouquet, nearly as big as Mr Saltzburghimself. It had cost the prima donna close on a hundred dollars thatmorning at Thorley's, but it was worth every cent of the money.

　　The house-lights went up. The audience began to move up the aisles tostretch its legs and discuss the piece during the intermission. Therewas a general babble of conversation. Here, a composer who had notgot an interpolated number in the show was explaining to anothercomposer who had not got an interpolated number in the show the exactsource from which a third composer who had got an interpolated numberin the show had stolen the number which he had got interpolated.

　　There, two musical comedy artistes who were temporarily resting wereagreeing that the prima donna was a dear thing but that, contrary asit was to their life-long policy to knock anybody, they must say thatshe was beginning to show the passage of the years a trifle and oughtto be warned by some friend that her career as an ingenue was a thingof the past. Dramatic critics, slinking in twos and threes into darkcorners, were telling each other that "The Rose of America" was justanother of those things but it had apparently got over. The generalpublic was of the opinion that it was a knock-out.

　　"Otie darling," said Mrs Waddesleigh Peagrim, leaning her ampleshoulder on Uncle Chris' perfectly fitting sleeve and speaking acrosshim to young Mr Pilkington, "I do congratulate you, dear. It'sperfectly delightful! I don't know when I have enjoyed a musicalpiece so much. Don't you think it's perfectly darling, Major Selby?""Capital!" agreed that suave man of the world, who had been bored asnear extinction as makes no matter. "Congratulate you, my boy!""You clever, clever thing!" said Mrs Peagrim, skittishly striking hernephew on the knee with her fan. "I'm proud to be your aunt! Aren'tyou proud to know him, Mr Rooke?"The fourth occupant of the box awoke with a start from the species ofstupor into which he had been plunged by the spectacle of theMcWhustle of McWhustle in action. There had been other dark momentsin Freddie's life. Once, back in London, Parker had sent him out intothe heart of the West End without his spats and he had not discoveredtheir absence till he was half-way up Bond Street. On anotheroccasion, having taken on a stranger at squash for a quid a game, hehad discovered too late that the latter was an ex-public-schoolchampion. He had felt gloomy when he had learned of the breaking-offof the engagement between Jill Mariner and Derek Underhill, and sadwhen it had been brought to his notice that London was giving Derekthe cold shoulder in consequence. But never in his whole career hadhe experienced such gloom and such sadness as had come to him thatevening while watching this unspeakable person in kilts murder thepart that should have been his. And the audience, confound them, hadroared with laughter at every damn silly thing the fellow had said!