generosity--that she had repaid the L100, and thereby
cancelled Rugge's claim upon the child. The ex-manager then proceeded to
the narrative of his subsequent misfortunes--all of which he laid to the
charge of Waife and the Phenomenon. "Sir," said he, "I was ambitious.
From my childhood's hour I dreamed of the great York Theatre--dreamed
of it literally thrice. Fatal Vision! But like other dreams, that dream
would have faded--been forgotten in the workday world--and I should not
have fallen into the sere and yellow, but have had, as formerly,
troops of friends, and not been reduced to the horrors of poverty and a
faithful Hag. But, sir, when I first took to my bosom that fiend
William Waife, he exhibited a genius, sir, that Dowton (you have seen
Dowton?--grand) was a stick as compared with. Then my ambition, sir,
blazed and flared up-obstreperous, and my childhood's dream haunted me;
and I went about musing [Hag, you recollect!]--and muttering 'The
Royal Theatre at York.' But, incredible though it seem, the ungrateful
scorpion left me with a treacherous design to exhibit the parts I had
fostered on the London boards; and even-handed Justice, sir, returned
the poisoned chalice to his lips, causing him to lose an eye and to
hobble--besides splitting up his voice--which served him right. And
again I took the scorpion for the sake of the Phenomenon. I had a babe
myself once, sir, though you may not think it. Gormerick (that is
this faithful Hag) gave the babe Daffy's Elixir, in teething; but it
died--convulsions. I comforted myself when that Phenomenon came out
on my stage--in pink satin and pearls. 'Ha,' I said, 'the great York
Theatre shall yet be mine!' The haunting idea became a Mania,
sir. The learned say that there is a Mania called Money
Mania--[Monomania??]--when one can think but of the one thing
needful--as the guilty Thane saw the dagger, sir--you understand. And
when the Phenomenon had vanished and gone, as I was told, to America,
where I now wish I was myself, acting Rolla at New York or elsewhere,
to a free and enlightened people--then, sir, the Mania grew on me still
stronger and stronger. There was a pride in it, sir, a British pride.

"I said to this faithful Hag: 'What--shall I not have the York because
that false child has deserted me? Am I not able to realise a Briton's
ambition without being beholden to a Phenomenon in spangles?' Sir, I
took the York! Alone I did it!"

"And," said Losely, feeling a sor