Everything and everybody was ready for that rehearsal, but the great man himself had not arrived.

Now Mr.
Bassett Oliver, as every man well knew who ever had dealings with him, was not one of the irregular and unpunctual order; on the contrary, he was a very martinet as regarded rule, precision and system; moreover, he always did what he expected each member of his company to do.

Therefore his non-arrival, his half hour of irregularity, seemed all the more extraordinary.
"Never knew him to be late before--never!" exclaimed the business manager, impatiently pulling out his watch for the twentieth time.

"Not in all my ten years' experience of him--not once." "I suppose you've seen him this morning, Mr.Stafford ?" inquired Jerramy.
"He's in the town, of course ?" "I suppose he's in the town," answered Mr.Stafford.

"I suppose he's at his old quarters--the 'Angel.' But I haven't seen him; neither had Rothwell--we've both been too busy to call there.