l of promise.
It was confirmed by the appearance of Mr. AINLEY, whose manner reminded
us of his many triumphs in the art of eccentric detachment. His
part--the title-role--was that of _Sir Geoffrey's_ faithful butler, on
such familiar, though respectful, terms with his master that the two
sipped port together in the former's room in broad daylight while
discussing family matters. They took an unconscionable time about it,
but, as I said, it promised well. However, Mr. VACHELL had other designs
than our mere amusement. We were not to have our comedy without paying
for it with our heart's blood. Very soon the shadow of melodramatic
pathos and mystery crept over the sunny scene. _Fishpingle_ takes a box
from a cupboard and glances at a miniature and a bundle of letters.
There is illegitimacy in the air, and a lady near me in the stalls
confides to her neighbour that "he's the _Squire's_ half-brother." I
can't think where she got her information, for the rest of us never
learned the facts of the mystery till the very end of the evening, and
even then the details of _Fishpingle's_ origin only transpired (as they
say) under extreme pressure arising out of his dismissal by his master
on the strength of a violent disagreement about fundamentals.

_Sir Geoffrey's_ father, it seems, had before his marriage run away with
a girl not of his own rank, who had generously refused to spoil the
family tree by marrying him; and _Fishpingle_ was the result. You might
judge from the peculiarity of his surname that the matter was taken
lightly by his parents. But you would be wrong. His mother died when he
was born, and his first name (for I cannot call it a Christian name) was
_Benoni_, which, being interpreted, means "the child of sorrow." _Sir
Geoffrey's_ grandmother, who had discouraged the legal adjustment of the
relationship between the lovers, had tried to repair matters by
educating _Fishpingle_ above the obscurity of his irregular birth; hence
his comparative erudition, rare in a butler.

[Illustration: THE BREED OF THE POMFRETS.

_Fishpingle_ (_to himself_). "How anybody can fail to see the
extraordinary family likeness between us I cannot imagine."

_Fishpingle_.... Mr. Henry Ainley.

_Sir Geoffrey Pomfret_. Mr. Allan Aynesworth.]

Now the opening of the play had put me into a mood which was not the
right one for the reception of this extract from a deplorable past. Some
comedies would be all the better for a little tragic r