with a MS. play bill on
which was written in large red letters: "Hernani or Castilian Honour,"
followed by the names of the personages. Hernani was naturally the
manager himself, Leander Baberossy,[39] Elvira was to be played by Miss
Palmira, the other gentlemen were simply indicated by N. N., X. X. or
* *. "They are all women you know," explained the innkeeper, "who don't
want to advertise their names. The charge for the front seats is 21/2d,
for the second-class places, a penny."

[Footnote 39: _I.e._, Laurel bearer.]

"The gentry can sit where they please, I presume?"

"I suggested to the manager that he should write that on the play bill,
but he replied that that would be an impertinence. I also advised him to
take the play bill to your honour himself and was almost kicked out of
the room for my pains. Did I take him for a bill poster? he said."

"This manager of yours seems to have a pretty good opinion of himself."

"Oh, he is frightfully proud, your honour. He will play no other pieces
but sword pieces because, says he, they are classical. The poor fellow
is so very young you know. When he grows a little older and learns to
starve a bit he will soon lower his crest."

"I like him none the less for holding up his head. I will come to the
play."

"But you must be there at seven o'clock sharp. He always begins
punctually; whether there is any audience or not."

"The lad has character, I see; pray give him this"--and he handed the
innkeeper half a sovereign. He quickly returned with the reply that the
manager could not for the moment give change.

"But I meant him to keep the whole of it as an admittance fee."

"Ah, yes."

A short time afterwards, the innkeeper reappeared with a whole bundle of
admission tickets for Szilard, saying that the manager thanked him for
his sympathy, but as he was not in the habit of accepting presents from
anyone, he assumed that his honour meant to engage the whole house for
himself that evening and he, the manager, would therefore give a
representation for his honour's sole benefit.

Szilard laughed heartily at this comical conscientiousness, and after
dressing, he went about his official business with as much dispatch as
possible in order to arrive at the play at seven o'clock sharp, for he
was now the whole public and the public ought always to be punctual.

When he got to the room set apart for the performance he found that,
despite the provisional _abonnement suspendu