The Parent's Assistant Part 45

'And is _this_ your famous playhouse?' cried he. 'I wish you had, any of you, seen the playhouse _I_ have been used to?'

These words made a great and visible change in the feelings and opinions of the public. 'Who would be a servant of the public? or who would toil for popular applause?' A few words spoken in a decisive tone by a new voice operated as a charm, and the playhouse was in an instant metamorphosed in the eyes of the spectators. All grat.i.tude for the past was forgotten, and the expectation of something better justified to the capricious mult.i.tude their disdain of what they had so lately p.r.o.nounced to be excellent.

Every one now began to criticise. One observed 'that the green curtain was full of holes, and would not draw up.' Another attacked the scenes.

'Scenes! they were not like real scenes--Archer must know best, because he was used to these things.' So everybody crowded to hear something of the _other_ playhouse. They gathered round Archer to hear the description of his playhouse, and at every sentence insulting comparisons were made. When he had done, his auditors looked round, sighed, and wished that Archer had been their manager. They turned from De Grey as from a person who had done them an injury. Some of his friends--for he had friends who were not swayed by the popular opinion--felt indignation at this ingrat.i.tude, and were going to express their feelings; but De Grey stopped them, and begged that he might speak for himself.

'Gentlemen,' said he, coming forward, as soon as he felt that he had sufficient command of himself. 'My friends, I see you are discontented with me and my playhouse. I have done my best to please you; but if anybody else can please you better, I shall be glad of it. I did not work so hard for the glory of being your manager. You have my free leave to tear down----' Here his voice faltered, but he hurried on--'You have my free leave to tear down all my work as fast as you please. Archer, shake hands first, however, to show that there's no malice in the case.'

Archer, who was touched by what his rival said, and stopping the hand of his new partisan, Fisher, cried, 'No, Fisher! no!--no pulling down. We can alter it. There is a great deal of ingenuity in it, considering.'

In vain Archer would now have recalled the public to reason,--the time for reason was past: enthusiasm had taken hold of their minds. 'Down with it! Down with it! Archer for ever!' cried Fisher, and tore down the curtain. The riot once begun, nothing could stop the little mob, till the whole theatre was demolished. The love of power prevailed in the mind of Archer; he was secretly flattered by the zeal of his _party_, and he mistook their love of mischief for attachment to himself. De Grey looked on superior. 'I said I could bear to see all this, and I can,'

said he; 'now it is all over.' And now it was all over, there was silence. The rioters stood still to take breath, and to look at what they had done. There was a blank s.p.a.ce before them.

In this moment of silence there was heard something like a female voice.

'Hush! What strange voice is that?' said Archer. Fisher caught fast hold of his arm. Everybody looked round to see where the voice came from. It was dusk. Two window-shutters at the farthest end of the building were seen to move slowly inwards. De Grey, and in the same instant Archer, went forward; and, as the shutters opened, there appeared through the hole the dark face and shrivelled hands of a very old gipsy. She did not speak; but she looked first at one and then at another. At length she fixed her eyes on De Grey. 'Well, my good woman,' said he, 'what do you want with me?' 'Want!--nothing--with _you_,' said the old woman; 'do you want nothing with _me_?' 'Nothing,' said De Grey. Her eye immediately turned upon Archer,--'_You_ want something with me,' said she, with emphasis. 'I--what do I want?' replied Archer. 'No,' said she, changing her tone, 'you want nothing--nothing will you ever want, or I am much mistaken in that _face_.'

In that _watch-chain_, she should have said, for her quick eye had espied Archer's watch-chain. He was the only person in the company who had a watch, and she therefore judged him to be the richest.

'Had you ever your fortune told, sir, in your life?' 'Not I,' said he, looking at De Grey, as if he was afraid of his ridicule, if he listened to the gipsy. 'Not you! No! for you will make your own fortune, and the fortune of all that belong to you!'

'There's good news for my friends,' cried Archer. 'And I'm one of them, remember that,' cried Fisher. 'And I,' 'And I,' joined a number of voices. 'Good luck to them!' cried the gipsy, 'good luck to them all!'

Then, as soon as they had acquired sufficient confidence in her good will, they pressed up to the window. 'There,' cried Townsend, as he chanced to stumble over the carpenter's mitre box, which stood in the way, 'there's a good omen for me. I've stumbled on the mitre box; I shall certainly be a bishop.'

Happy he who had sixpence, for he bid fair to be a judge upon the bench.

And happier he who had a shilling, for he was in the high road to be one day upon the woolsack, Lord High Chancellor of England. No one had half-a-crown, or no one would surely have kept it in his pocket upon such an occasion, for he might have been an archbishop, a king, or what he pleased.

Fisher, who like all weak people was extremely credulous, had kept his post immovable in the front row all the time, his mouth open, and his stupid eyes fixed upon the gipsy, in whom he felt implicit faith.

Those who have least confidence in their own powers, and who have least expectation from the success of their own exertions, are always most disposed to trust in fortune-tellers and fortune. They hope to _win_, when they cannot _earn_; and as they can never be convinced by those who speak sense, it is no wonder they are always persuaded by those who talk nonsense.

'I have a question to put,' said Fisher, in a solemn tone. 'Put it, then,' said Archer, 'what hinders you?' 'But they will hear me,' said he, looking suspiciously at De Grey. '_I_ shall not hear you,' said De Grey, 'I am going.' Everybody else drew back, and left him to whisper his question in the gipsy's ear. 'What is become of my Livy?' 'Your _sister_ Livy, do you mean?' said the gipsy. 'No, my _Latin_ Livy.'

The gipsy paused for information. 'It had a leaf torn out in the beginning, and _I hate Dr. Middleton_----' 'Written in it,' interrupted the gipsy. 'Right--the very book!' cried Fisher with joy. 'But how _could_ you know it was Dr. Middleton's name? I thought I had scratched it, so that n.o.body could make it out.' 'n.o.body _could_ make it out but _me_,' replied the gipsy. 'But never think to deceive me,' said she, shaking her head at him in a manner that made him tremble. 'I don't deceive you indeed, I tell you the whole truth. I lost it a week ago.'

'True.' 'And when shall I find it?' 'Meet me here at this hour to-morrow evening, and I will answer you. No more! I must be gone. Not a word more to-night.'

She pulled the shutters towards her, and left the youth in darkness. All his companions were gone. He had been so deeply engaged in this conference, that he had not perceived their departure. He found all the world at supper, but no entreaties could prevail upon him to disclose his secret. Townsend rallied in vain. As for Archer, he was not disposed to destroy by ridicule the effect which he saw that the old woman's predictions in his favour had had upon the imagination of many of his little partisans. He had privately slipped two good shillings into the gipsy's hand to secure her; for he was willing to pay any price for _any_ means of acquiring power.

[Ill.u.s.tration: _'What is become of my Livy?' 'Your sister Livy, do you mean?'_]

The watch-chain had not deceived the gipsy, for Archer was the richest person in the community. His friends had imprudently supplied him with more money than is usually trusted to boys of his age. Dr. Middleton had refused to give him a larger monthly allowance than the rest of his companions; but he brought to school with him secretly the sum of five guineas. This appeared to his friends and to himself an inexhaustible treasure.

Riches and talents would, he flattered himself, secure to him that ascendency of which he was so ambitious. 'Am I your manager or not?' was now his question. 'I scorn to take advantage of a hasty moment; but since last night you have had time to consider. If you desire me to be your manager, you shall see what a theatre I will make for you. In this purse,' said he, showing through the network a glimpse of the shining treasure--'in this purse is Aladdin's wonderful lamp. Am I your manager?

Put it to the vote.'

It was put to the vote. About ten of the most reasonable of the a.s.sembly declared their grat.i.tude and high approbation of their old friend, De Grey; but the numbers were in favour of the new friend. And as no metaphysical distinctions relative to the idea of a majority had ever entered their thoughts, the most numerous party considered themselves as now beyond dispute in the right. They drew off on one side in triumph, and their leader, who knew the consequence of a name in party matters, immediately distinguished his partisans by the gallant name of _Archers_, stigmatising the friends of De Grey by the odious epithet of Greybeards.

Amongst the Archers was a cla.s.s not very remarkable for their mental qualifications; but who, by their bodily activity, and by the peculiar advantages annexed to their way of life, rendered themselves of the highest consequence, especially to the rich and enterprising.

The judicious reader will apprehend that I allude to the persons called day scholars. Amongst these, Fisher was distinguished by his knowledge of all the streets and shops in the adjacent town; and, though a dull scholar, he had such reputation as a man of business that whoever had commissions to execute at the confectioner's was sure to apply to him.

Some of the youngest of his employers had, it is true, at times complained that he made mistakes of halfpence and pence in their accounts; but as these affairs could never be brought to a public trial, Fisher's character and consequence were undiminished, till the fatal day when his Aunt Barbara forbade his visits to the confectioner's; or rather, till she requested the confectioner, who had his private reasons for obeying her, not _to receive_ her nephew's visits, as he had made himself sick at his house, and Mrs. Barbara's fears for his health were incessant.

Though his visits to the confectioner's were thus at an end, there were many other shops open to him; and with officious zeal he offered his services to the new manager, to purchase whatever might be wanting for the theatre.

Since his father's death Fisher had become a boarder at Dr. Middleton's, but his frequent visits to his Aunt Barbara afforded him opportunities of going into the town. The carpenter, De Grey's friend, was discarded by Archer, for having said '_lack-a-daisy!_' when he saw that the old theatre was pulled down. A new carpenter and paper-hanger, recommended by Fisher, were appointed to attend, with their tools, for orders, at two o'clock. Archer, impatient to show his ingenuity and his generosity, gave his plan and his orders in a few minutes, in a most decided manner.

'These things,' he observed, 'should be done with some spirit.'

To which the carpenter readily a.s.sented, and added that 'gentlemen of spirit never looked to the _expense_, but always to the _effect_.' Upon this principle Mr. Chip set to work with all possible alacrity. In a few hours' time he promised to produce a grand effect. High expectations were formed. Nothing was talked of but the new playhouse; and so intent upon it was every head, that no lessons could be got. Archer was obliged, in the midst of his various occupations, to perform the part of grammar and dictionary for twenty different people.

'O ye Athenians!' he exclaimed, 'how hard do I work to obtain your praise!'

Impatient to return to the theatre, the moment the hours destined for instruction, or, as they are termed by schoolboys, school-hours, were over each prisoner started up with a shout of joy.

'Stop one moment, gentlemen, if you please,' said Dr. Middleton, in an awful voice. 'Mr. Archer, return to your place. Are you all here?' The names of all the boys were called over, and when each had answered to his name, Dr. Middleton said--

'Gentlemen, I am sorry to interrupt your amus.e.m.e.nts; but, till you have contrary orders from me, no one, on pain of my serious displeasure, must go into _that_ building' (pointing to the place where the theatre was erecting). 'Mr. Archer, your carpenter is at the door. You will be so good as to dismiss him. I do not think proper to give my reasons for these orders; but you who _know_ me,' said the doctor, and his eye turned towards De Grey, 'will not suspect me of caprice. I depend, gentlemen, upon your obedience.'

To the dead silence with which these orders were received, succeeded in a few minutes a universal groan. 'So!' said Townsend, 'all our diversion is over.' 'So,' whispered Fisher in the manager's ear, 'this is some trick of the Greybeards'. Did you not observe how he looked at De Grey?'

Fired by this thought, which had never entered his mind before, Archer started from his reverie, and striking his hand upon the table, swore that he 'would not be outwitted by any Greybeard in Europe--no, nor by all of them put together. The Archers were surely a match for them. He would stand by them, if they would stand by him,' he declared, with a loud voice, 'against the whole world, and Dr. Middleton himself, with "_Little Premium_" at his right hand.'

Everybody admired Archer's spirit, but was a little appalled at the sound of standing against Dr. Middleton.

'Why not?' resumed the indignant manager. 'Neither Dr. Middleton nor any doctor upon earth shall treat me with injustice. This, you see, is a stroke at me and my party, and I won't bear it.'

'Oh, you are mistaken!' said De Grey, who was the only one who dared to oppose reason to the angry orator. 'It cannot be a stroke aimed at "you and your party," for he does not know that you _have_ a party.'

'I'll make him know it, and I'll make _you_ know it, too,' said Archer.

'Before I came here you reigned alone; now your reign is over, Mr. De Grey. Remember my majority this morning, and your theatre last night.'

'He has remembered it,' said Fisher. 'You see, the moment he was not to be our manager, we were to have no theatre, no playhouse, no plays. We must all sit down with our hands before us--all for "_good reasons_" of Dr. Middleton's, which he does not vouchsafe to tell us.'

'I won't be governed by any man's reasons that he won't tell me,' cried Archer. 'He cannot have good reasons, or why not tell them?' 'Nonsense!'

said De Grey. '_We shall not suspect him of caprice!_' 'Why not?'

'Because we who know him have never known him capricious.' 'Perhaps not.

_I_ know nothing about him,' said Archer. 'No,' said De Grey; 'for that very reason _I_ speak who do know him. Don't be in a pa.s.sion, Archer.'

'I will be in a pa.s.sion. I won't submit to tyranny. I won't be made a fool of by a few soft words. You don't know me, De Grey. I'll go through with what I've begun. I am manager, and I will be manager; and you shall see my theatre finished in spite of you, and _my_ party triumphant.'

'Party,' repeated De Grey. 'I cannot imagine what is in the word "party"

that seems to drive you mad. We never heard of parties till you came amongst us.'

'No; before I came, I say, n.o.body dared oppose you; but _I_ dare; and I tell you to your face, take care of me--a warm friend and a bitter enemy is my motto.' 'I am not your enemy! I believe you are out of your senses, Archer!' said he, laughing. 'Out of my senses! No; you are my enemy! Are you not my rival? Did you not win the premium? Did not you want to be manager? Answer me, are not you, in one word, a Greybeard?'

'You called me a Greybeard, but my name is De Grey,' said he, still laughing. 'Laugh on!' cried the other, furiously. 'Come, _Archers_, follow me. _We_ shall laugh by-and-by, I promise you.' At the door Archer was stopped by Mr. Chip. 'Oh, Mr. Chip, I am ordered to discharge you.' 'Yes, sir; and here's a little bill----' 'Bill, Mr. Chip! why, you have not been at work for two hours!' 'Not much over, sir; but if you'll please to look into it, you'll see 'tis for a few things you ordered. The stuff is all laid out and delivered. The paper and the festoon-bordering for the drawing-room scene is cut out, and left y_a_nder within.' 'Y_a_nder within! I wish you had not been in such a confounded hurry--six-and-twenty shillings!' cried he; 'but I can't stay to talk about it now. I'll tell you, Mr. Chip,' said Archer, lowering his voice, 'what you must do for me, my good fellow.'

Then, drawing Mr. Chip aside, he begged him to pull down some of the woodwork which had been put up, and to cut it into a certain number of wooden bars, of which he gave him the dimensions, with orders to place them all, when ready, under a haystack, which he pointed out.

Mr. Chip scrupled and hesitated, and began to talk of '_the doctor_.'

Archer immediately began to talk of the bill, and throwing down a guinea and a half, the conscientious carpenter pocketed the money directly, and made his bow.