, and Mr. Daly wanted to
get me across the stage, so that I should be out of hearing distance of
two of the gentlemen. Now, in the old days, the stage-director would
simply have said: "Cross to the Right," and you would have crossed
because he told you to; but in Mr. Daly's day you had to have a _reason_
for crossing the drawing-room, and so getting out of the two gentlemen's
way--and a reason could not be found.

Here are a few of the many rejected ideas: There was no guest for me to
cross to in welcoming pantomime; no piano on that side of the room for me
to cross to and play on softly; ah, the fireplace! and the pretty warming
of one foot? But no, it was summer-time, that would not do. The ancient
fancy-work, perhaps? No, she was a human panther, utterly incapable of so
domestic an occupation. The fan forgotten on the mantel-piece? Ah, yes,
that was it! you cross the room for that--and then suddenly I reminded
Mr. Daly that he had, but a moment before, made a point of having me
strike a gentleman sharply on the cheek with my fan.

"Oh, confound it, yes!" he answered, "and that's got to stand--that blow
is good!"

The old, old device of attendance upon the lamp was suggested; but the
hour of the day was plainly given by one of the characters as three
o'clock in the afternoon.

These six are but few of the many rejected reasons for that one cross of
the stage; still Mr. Daly would not permit a motiveless action, and we
came to a momentary standstill. Very doubtfully, I remarked: "I suppose a
smelling-bottle would not be important enough to cross the room for?"

He brightened quickly--clouded over even more quickly: "Y-e-e-s! N-o-o!
at least, not if it had never appeared before. But let me see--Miss
Morris, you must carry that smelling-bottle in the preceding scene,
and--and, yes, I'll just put in a line in your part, making you ask some
one to hand it to you--that will nail attention to it, you see! Then in
this scene, when you leave these people and cross the room to get your
smelling-bottle from the mantel, it will be a perfectly natural action on
your part, and will give the men their chance of explanation and
warning." And at last we were free to move on to other things.

Above all was he eager to have his stage present a home-like interior.
Never shall I forget my amazement when I first saw a piece of furniture
occupying the very centre of the stage, while I with others were reduced
to acting in any scrap of