It was
his first appearance at rehearsals since the middle of
the first week. As soon as he had satisfied himself that
all was going well, he had given his attention to other
matters where things were not going well. Mildred
knew why he was there--and she acted and sang atrociously.
Ransdell aggravated her nervousness by ostentatiously
trying to help her, by making seemingly
adroit attempts to cover her mistakes--attempts
apparently thwarted and exposed only because she was
hopelessly bad.
In the pause between the second and third acts
Ransdell went down and sat with Crossley, and they engaged
in earnest conversation. The while, the members of the
company wandered restlessly about the stage, making
feeble attempts to lift the gloom with affected cheerfulness.
Ransdell returned to the stage, went up to Mildred,
who was sitting idly turning the leaves of a
part-book.
``Miss Gower,'' said he, and never had his voice been
so friendly as in these regretful accents, ``don't try to
go on to-day.
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