DEEPER AND DEEPER. 91

London. Now Williams was so superior to Bassett
that if he would only consent to take the character
and act, they would manage it 3—they would put off
Bassett with something else, or let him act in another
piece,—but Williams must be their Parson Perfect ;
~—they would have no nay. Anderson, who was of
the party, had a scene in his pocket, Williams
must look it over and try it—he did so—Bravo!
bravissimo! they exclaimed: it was inimitable !
Parson Goodman would never show his face after
the public had seen that ; he would have had enough
of preaching against players! Williams, delighted
to excel Bassett in anything, consented to act. Jessie
heard all that went on, and did not oppose his acting.
It was very clever, she said, and much better than
she expected.

And now the company rose and began to talk of their
departure. It was already dusk, and bitterly cold.

“ Ah, my good fellow,” said Anderson, who was
deputed to be paymaster-general for the players, as
he saw Williams about to put his hand in his pocket
for his own share of the expenses—“ have you a few
spare shillings in your pocket, for the fellow has made
me a deuced great bill—let me see, have you five-and-
twenty ?”

Williams, who was in high good humour, and
greatly flattered by the applause which his acting
had obtained, drew out from his pocket a handful of
loose change.

“Ah! capital!” said Anderson, and took some-
where about seven-and-twenty shillings, saying,
“we 'll have a reckoning when we get home,”

Away drove the company. The snow, which had
thawed in the morning, had frozen again in the after-