A Maid of Many Moods

ng about receiving the blow over his eye, and talked little. Dame Blossom and Debora tended him faithfully, keeping Mas

draughts," he cried, irritably; "no poultices nor plasters

n the mirror, he bade Debora find the Master-player o

London. I'll ship to the Indies, or America, an' make an ending." Then startin

ntly, "perchance thy looks might not coun

ed on, fiercely upbraiding himself and wearying Debora. After a time she slipped on her hooded cloak, bade him good-b

ble no more, but rest. Thou wilt be on the

he asked, weakly. "An'

be a little blue, we will paint it. In any cas

m not to care. Never will I drink aught but water. Nay, then, thou shalt not go. Stay by me till I sleep, for

her out of his sight when the rheumatism crippled him all last winter. Why, once Nick Berwick came in with a sprained wrist, and naught would be bu

stairs dressed in the suit of Kendal gre

thy mad plan,

Have no fear for me, the tiring-room hath a latch, an' none

*

se was lit by a thousand lights that twinkled down on eager faces turned towards the stage. Even then at the edge of th

emembered it while life was in them. Many told their childr

' the play-house entrance. 'Marry! an' he be not a maid,' said I, ''tis little matter.' He played the part o' Juliet, not as play-acting, but reality. After the

the third evening for the first time, though peradventure he had been with the Company behind the scenes, or overhead in the musicians' ba

fastened with a great pearl, which, I heard whispered, was one the Queen herself had sent him. Report doth says he wears black always, black or sober grays, in memory o' a little lad of his-who died. Well-a-day; I know not if 't be true, but I do know t

few words, perchance 'tis left me but to say again and again, I give you thanks. Yet to the gentlemen of my Lord Chamberlain's Company

is little hour, have long grown weary and gone to rest; and when England is kindlier to her actors and reads better the lessons of the stage than

led the words-he spoke-Will Shakespeare-in the old theatre of Blackfriars, a

y clever acting of Darby Thornbury. Two players guessed the t

g with an inward fire. He watched the stage with mask-like face, and his great form gave no way though the throng pressed and jostled him. Now and a

g o' Shottery gossip." As for himself, he had no doubt of her. She was his sovereign lady, who could do no wrong, even masquerading thus. But a very terror for her possessed him. Seeming not to listen, he yet heard what the people said in intervals of the play. They were quick to discover the genius of the young actor they called Thornbury, and commented freely upon his wonderful inter

could not divine, yet while groping blindly for them, with stifled pain in his

the figure in the Kendal green suit. Debora must have changed her costume swiftly, for she was among the first to leave t

Master Shakespeare himself was looking for thee as we came out. Hold up, we be going by th

g half round toward th

ment. Your lines be lighter than mine, in go

ne. Thou an' Sherwood together! Egad! 'Twas most singular an' beautiful in effect. Thy modulation was perfect, no wretched cracking nor breaking i

raining," responde

turn thee back into these clothes, Thornbury. By

ed, Debora going on alone. As she came toward Master Blossom's house a man passed Berwick, whom he knew at a glance to be the actor Sherwood. He was not one to be easily forgotten, and upon Nicholas Berwick'

the boyish figure as it ra

hat illumined her face. The actor lifted his hat and stood bareheaded looking upward. He spoke w

down, held out her hand. Sherwood raised it to his lips-and-but the

and in the eastern sky, that was of that rare colour that is neither blue nor green, but both blended, a golden star swung, while in the west a line of rose touched the g