What struck me as extremely ominous, these misfortunes
were allowed to pass without a laugh. Indeed, I was
beginning to fear the worst, and even personal
indignity, when all at once the humour of the thing
broke upon me strongly. I could have laughed aloud,
and, being again summoned to speak up, I faced my
patrons for the first time with a smile. "Very well,"
I said, "I will try, though I don't suppose anybody
wants to hear, and I can't see why anybody should."
Audience and lecturer laughed together till the tears
ran down, vociferous and repeated applause hailed my
impromptu sally. Another hit which I made but a little
after, as I turned three pages of the copy--"You see, I
am leaving out as much as I possibly can"--increased
the esteem with which my patrons had begun to regard
me; and when I left the stage at last, my departing
form was cheered with laughter, stamping, shouting, and
the waving of hats.
Pinkerton was in the waiting-room, feverishly jotting
in his pocket-book. As he saw me enter, he sprang up,
and I declare the tears were trickling on his cheeks.
Pages:
138
139
140
141
142
143
144
145
146
147
148
149
150
151
152
153
154
155
156
157
158
159
160
161
162