96 DEEPER AND DEEPER.

tickets. How was this? both young men seemed
to inquire—but there was nobody to answer them—
the whole theatrical staff seemed to be in the next
room, which was Mr. Maxwell’s bed-room. Voices
were heard in this said bed-room, loud voices and
angry voices, too, and now and then the two rival
amateur-actors had the pleasure of hearing their own
names mentioned.

To pass away the awkward time, and to seem at his
ease, Williams threw himself into an arm-chair
and drew his manuscript from his pocket, and began
to turn it over. Bassett seeing this, and instantly
detecting that his rival's part actually was his own,
pulled out his also, and seating himself opposite,
glanced from the paper in his hand at his rival, with
no very amicable expression of countenance. Just
as Williams was about to return the expression the
door opened, and in walked Jessie. She bowed
courteously to both young men, and thus addressed
them :—

“There has been a strange and almost ludicrous
mistake made with regard to the part of Parson
Perfect. Mr. Anderson, it seems, intended it for
Mr. Williams.”

“* He himself offered it to me, my dear Miss
Bannerman,” interrupted Bassett.

Jessie waved her hand, and continued, * Mr.
Anderson says that it was his wish that Mr. Williams
should take the character. Mr. Maxwell on the
contrary very much prefers Mr. Bassett having it.
Very warm words,” said she, smiling, ‘* as no doubt
you have heard—for the walls are thin—have arisen
on the subject. This, however, is their decisian,

that I, who take the part of Lucinda, shall make the