sugar basins. It turned out
that they had only one teaspoon in the place, and when anybody wanted to
stir her tea she said, 'Will you oblige me with _spoon_ please?' What fun
it was! We laughed until we cried--at least one of us did--and eventually
we managed to break the teapot and a slop basin and to overturn a
standing lamp. It was perfectly delightful!

"But the best sport was after tea was over, and Glory was called on for
imitations of the people we had seen at the theatre. Of course she
couldn't imitate a man when she was in a woman's frock, so being as
bright as diamonds that night and twice 'as impudent as a white stone,'
[* A Manx proverb] she actually conceived the idea of dressing up in
man's clothes. Naturally the gentlemen were enchanted, so I hope Auntie
Rachel isn't terribly shocked. Mr. Drake lent me his knickerbockers and a
velvet jacket, and Polly and I went into the bedroom, where she helped me
to find the way to put them on. With my own blouse and my own hat (I am
wearing a felt one now with a broad brim and a feather), and _of course_
my own slippers and stockings, I made a bogh of a boy, I can tell you. I
thought Polly would have died of delight in the bedroom, but when we came
out she kept covering her face and crying, 'Glory, how _can_ you!'

"I'm afraid I sang and talked more than was good for the soul, but it was
all Mr. Drake's doing. He declared I was such a marvellous mimic that it
was simply a waste of time and the good gifts of God to go on hospital
nursing any longer. And I do believe that if anything happened, and the
need arose, he would----

"Only fancy Glory a public person, and all the world and his wife going
down on their knees to her! But then it's fearful to think of being an
actress, isn't it?

"After all such glorious 'outs' I have to go 'in' to the hospital, and
then comes my fit again. Do you remember my little boy who said he was
going to the angels, and he would get lots of gristly pork up there? He
has gone, and I don't think I like nursing children now. Oh, how I long
to go out into the world! I want to shine in it. I want to become great
and glorious. I could do it too, I know I could. I have got it in me, I
am sure I have. Yet here I am in a little dark corner crying for the
sunshine!

"How silly this is, isn't it? It sounds like madness. My dears, allow me
to introduce you to some one--

"Glory Quayle, 'March Hare and Madwoman.'"

XVII.

The board roo