After the one had done the next begun; but when, all of a sudden, a somebody came skipping and bounding in, like an Indian-rubber ball, flinging itself up, at least six feet from the stage, and there shaking about its legs like mad, we were more astonished than ever! "That's Anatole," says one of the gentlemen.
"Anna who ?" says my wife; and she might well be mistaken: for this person had a hat and feathers, a bare neck and arms, great black ringlets, and a little calico frock, which came down to the knees.
"Anatole.

You would not think he was sixty-three years old, he's as active as a man of twenty." "HE!" shrieked out my wife; "what, is that there a man?
For shame! Munseer.

Jemimarann, dear, get your cloak, and come along; and I'll thank you, my dear, to call our people, and let us go home." You wouldn't think, after this, that my Jemmy, who had shown such a horror at the bally, as they call it, should ever grow accustomed to it; but she liked to hear her name shouted out in the crush-room, and so would stop till the end of everything; and, law bless you! in three weeks from that time, she could look at the ballet as she would at a dancing-dog in the streets, and would bring her double-barrelled opera-glass up to her eyes as coolly as if she had been a born duchess.
As for me, I did at Rome as Rome does; and precious fun it used to be, sometimes.
My friend the Baron insisted one night on my going behind the scenes; where, being a subscriber, he said I had what they call my ONTRAY.
Behind, then, I went; and such a place you never saw nor heard of! Fancy lots of young and old gents of the fashion crowding round and staring at the actresses practising their steps.

Fancy yellow snuffy foreigners, chattering always, and smelling fearfully of tobacco.

Fancy scores of Jews, with hooked-noses and black muzzles, covered with rings, chains, sham diamonds, and gold waistcoats.