CHAPTER VI
A MATINEE IDOL
"Oh, Uncle Jeff," Alicia cried, as they gathered round the dinner-tablethat same night, "we went to the splendidest play! It was a lightopera, 'The Lass and the Lascar.' Have you seen it?"
"No, my dear, I rarely go to the theatre; never to foolish pieces likethat! But it's all right for you young people. So you enjoyed it, didyou? How did you like--"
But Alicia's babble interrupted him. "Oh, Uncle, it was simply out ofsight! And the hero! Ah-h-h!"
Alicia leaned back in her chair and closed her eyes as if the memory ofthe hero was overwhelming.
"Took your fancy, did he?" asked her uncle, with a twinkle in his eye."Good-looking chap?"
"Good-looking faintly expresses it!" and Alicia returned toconsciousness. "He was like a Greek god! And his CHARM! Oh, Uncle Jeff,he is just indescribable! I wish you could SEE him."
"Must be a paragon! What did the rest of you girls think! Were you hitso hard?"
Dotty laughed. "He was splendid, Uncle Forbes," she said, "but wedidn't fall so head over heels in love with him as Alicia did. He has astunning voice and he's a fine actor."
"Oh, more than that!" raved Alicia. "He's a DARLING! a man of aTHOUSAND!"
"A young man?" asked Mr. Forbes.
"Yes," replied Bernice. "Alicia thinks he isn't twenty, but he can't bemuch more. He looked a mere boy."
"Wasn't that because he was made up as a young character in the play?"
"Partly," admitted Alicia. "But he's a very young man, anyway. Oh,Uncle Jeff, I'm just CRAZY over him! I think I shall go to see thatplay every chance I can possibly get. Could we go to an eveningperformance?"
"Speak for yourself, John!" cried Bernice. "I don't want to see thatplay again! I enjoyed it heaps, and I think Mr. Coriell was fine, butnext time we go I'd rather see something else."
"So would I," said the two D's together.
"How can you say so!" and Alicia looked at the others in scorn. "You'llnever find any actor who can hold a candle to Coriell! I have hispicture, Uncle," and, excusing herself, she left the table to get them.
"H'm, yes, a good-looking man," agreed Mr. Forbes, as he scrutinisedthe photographs. "But, Alicia, you mustn't fall in love with everyoperatic tenor you see. I believe this Coriell is a 'matinee idol,' butdon't allow him to engage your young affections."
"Too late with your advice, Uncle Jeff!" and Alicia gazed raptly at thepictures. "I ADORE him! and the fact that my adoration is hopelessmakes it all the more interesting. Oh, isn't he a WONDER!"
Gaily she set the pictures up in front of her, propping them on glassesor salt cellars, and continued to make mock worship at his shrine.
"Don't be silly, Alicia," commented her uncle, but she only shook herhead at him, and gave a mournful sigh.
The girls spent the evening much the same as they had done the nightbefore. They all sat in the stately drawing-room, and endeavoured tomake conversation. But Uncle Jeff was hard to talk to, for he rarelystuck to one subject for more than five minutes at a time, and abruptlyinterrupted the girls when they were trying their best to beentertaining.
Alicia continued to chatter about her new-found enthusiasm, until heruncle commanded her to desist.
"May I beg of you, Alicia," he said, sternly, "to cease raving overthat man? He's doubtless old enough to be your father, and would bebored to death could he hear your nonsense about him!"
Alicia looked put out, but a glance at her uncle's face proved hisseriousness, and she said no more about the actor.
The evening wore away, but it seemed to the girls as if it never wouldbe ten o'clock. And it was greatly to their relief, when, at abouthalf-past nine, Mr. Forbes bade them good-night and went off upstairs.
"It is all the queerest performance," said Bernice. "What in the worlddoes Uncle Jeff want of us,--I can't make out. The outlook seems to bethat we can have all the fun we want daytimes, and pay for it by theseghastly evening sessions."
"There's something back of it all," said Alicia, astutely. "Thisrevered uncle of ours, Bernie, has something up his sleeve."
"I think so, too," said Dotty. "He scrutinises us all so closely, whenhe thinks we're not looking. But I, for one, am quite willing to put upwith these evenings for the sake of the fun we have in the daytime."
"I should say so!" agreed Dolly. "We never can thank you enough, Bern,for bringing us."
"And I'm glad to have you here," said Mrs. Berry, entering the room."You're like a ray of sunshine in this dull house,--like four rays ofsunshine."
"But WHY are we here?" insisted Alicia. "You must know why, Mrs. Berry.Do tell us."
"You're here, my dears, because Mr. Forbes invited you. There is noother reason,--no other explanation. And now, tell me, did you like theplay?"
"Did we LIKE it!" exclaimed the volatile Alicia, "we're just crazy overit. Why, the chief actor--"
"Now, 'Licia," protested Dolly, "if you're going to begin raving overthat man again!"
"Well, I am!" declared Alicia. "I just can't help it!"
Nor did she seem able to curb her enthusiasm, for after the girls wentto their rooms, she kept on extolling Mr. Coriell until the others weretired of the subject.
And even when the D's were nearly ready for bed, and, in kimonos, werebrushing their hair, Alicia burst into their room, exclaiming, "I'vethe grandest plan! I'm going to invite Mr. Coriell to come here andcall on me!"
"Alicia Steele!" Dotty cried, "you're not going to do any such thing!"
"Yes, I am. Uncle Jeff said we could invite anybody we wantedto,--that's permission enough for me."
"But he didn't mean some one you don't know at all,--and an actor atthat!"
"I don't care. He didn't make any exceptions, and I'm going to do it.I'm going to write the note."
She went back to her own room, and sat down at the pretty littleescritoire that was there.
"How shall I address him?" she asked, but more of herself than theothers.
"Not at all!" said Dolly, and she took the pen from Alicia's fingers."You must be crazy to think of such a thing!"
"Don't do it, Alicia," begged Dotty; "tell her not to, Bernice."
"I don't care what she does," and Bernice laughed. "It's none of myaffair. I think it would be rather good fun, only I know he wouldn'tcome."
"I think he would," said Alicia. "Anyway, I'm going to tell him how Iadored his acting and his singing, and I guess he'll be glad to come tocall at Jefferson Forbes' house! I think I'll ask him to afternoon tea.Why, it isn't such a terrible thing, as you seem to think, Dolly.Anybody has a right to write to an actor,--they expect it. He probablygets hundreds of notes every day."
"Then he won't notice yours. He can't possibly accept a hundredinvitations."
"Oh, they don't all invite him. Any way, I'm going to write."
Alicia found another pen, and soon produced this effusion:
"My dear Mr. Coriell.
"I'm just simply crazy over your performance in 'The Lass and theLascar' and I feel that I MUST meet you. I shall DIE if I don't!Please, oh, PLEASE give me an opportunity. Will you come to see me atmy uncle's house, Mr. Jefferson Forbes? Can you come to-morrow orFriday? I can't EXIST if you say No! So grant the plea of
"Your devoted admirer,
"ALICIA STEELE."
"It's perfectly horrid!" and Dolly's fair face grew flushed with anger."You ought to be ashamed of yourself, Alicia."
"Now, look here, Dolly Fayre," and Alicia's eyes flashed, "I won't bedictated to by a little country ignoramus! I've had experience in theways of the world, and you haven't. Now suppose you let me alone. It'snone of your business, as you very well know."
"Dolly was only advising you for your own good!" Dotty flashed out,indignant at the rebuff to her chum; "but, truly, Doll, it isn't up toyou to tell Alicia what to do. This is her uncle's house, not yours,and you're in no way responsible for her doings."
"I know it," and Dolly looked serious, "but I know, too, Alicia will besorry and ashamed
if she sends that silly letter!"
"Let her be, then," counselled Bernice. "If Uncle Jeff doesn't like it,that's Alicia's affair, not ours. Leave her alone, Dolly."
But Dolly made one more effort.
"Listen, Alicia," she said, pleadingly; "at least, ask Mrs. Berry'sadvice. She's awfully indulgent, you know, and if she says allright,--then go ahead."
Alicia looked at Dolly. To tell the truth, she had misgivings herselfabout the plan, but she was too proud to be advised.
"I'll tell you what," she decided, at last; "you said, only to-day,Dolly, that you'd be glad to do something for me. Now, prove that youmeant it. You go and ask Mrs. Berry if we can do this. She's awfullyfond of you, and she'd say yes to you quicker'n she would to me. So, ifyou're so anxious for her consent, go and ask her. She's in herroom,--I just heard her go in."
"But, Alicia," and Dolly looked dismayed, "_I_ don't want to do thisthing! Why should I ask Mrs. Berry for what YOU want?"
"Because you said you'd be glad to do me a favour. I knew you didn'tmean it! I knew you'd fizzle out when the time came!"
"She hasn't fizzled out!" exclaimed Dotty. "Doll never breaks apromise. But, say, Alicia, I'll go and ask Mrs. Berry. How's that?"
"No, Dolly's got to go, if any one does. She said she'd love to do me afavour, now let her do it."
It was evidently a test case with Alicia, and one glance at herdetermined face convinced Dolly, that she would never be forgiven ifshe failed to do this thing.
"All right," she said, slowly, "I'll go and ask Mrs. Berry. But I shalltell her it's for you, Alicia. I shan't let her think I want to askthat man here!"
"Hold on, Dolly. Don't you think it would be nice if he should come,with Mrs. Berry's permission?"
"Yes, I think that would be lots of fun; but she won't give permission,Alicia. I know that as well as I know my own name!"
"Of course, she won't, if you go about it that way! I depend on you tocoax her or get around her some way to MAKE her say yes. See? Don'tthink that you can go in there and say 'May we?' and have her say 'No,'and let that end it! I tell you you've got to get her consent. You'vegot to do this for me, because you said you'd do whatever I asked you."
"Oh, Alicia!" and Dotty shook her head vigorously, "Doll never saidTHAT!"
"Well, she meant that. And what's the use of her doing anything I cando for myself? But you all know she's Mrs. Berry's pet of the four ofus--"
"No, I'm not," and Dolly looked deeply troubled.
"Yes, you are, and it's just because you're so mild and meek. Now, willyou go and ask her? You'll have to be quick or she'll have gone to bed."
"Yes, I'll go," and Dolly showed sudden determination.
"And will you promise to do all you can to make her say yes--"
"I'll do that, Alicia, but I can't promise to make her say yes."
"You can if you coax her. And don't let her think it's all for mybenefit. Because it isn't. You girls will have just as much fun as Iwill, if he comes."
Dolly twisted up her golden curls in a loose knot, and still in hertrailing dressing-gown, she went down the hall to Mrs. Berry's room andtapped gently at the door.
It was opened at once, and Dolly was glad to see Mrs. Berry had not yetbegun her preparations for the night, so she was not disturbing her.
"What is it, dearie?" asked the kind-hearted lady; "come in. Sit down."
Dolly sat down in a little rocker, and was suddenly seized with a fitof shyness. The request she had come to make seemed so impossible, thatshe couldn't put it into words. Mrs. Berry saw her embarrassment, andkindly strove to put her at ease.
"How do you like my room?" she said, cordially; "you've never been inhere before."
"It's lovely," said Dolly, looking about at the pretty furnishings;"it's in a sort of back extension, isn't it?"
"Yes, this a narrower part of the house, and gives me an outlook on ourtiny yard as well as on the side street. It's a very satisfactory room,except for my neighbour," and she laughed.
"Who is the unsatisfactory neighbour?" asked Dolly, smiling in response.
"Not the people next door, they're quiet enough; but they have aparrot, and he's in the room just across from this, and he chatters sooften that it is sometimes very annoying. Look over, you can see himnow."
Sure enough, as Dolly looked from the window, she saw a big Polly in acage at the opposite casement. Only thin lace curtains were between,and Dolly could clearly see the beautiful bird.
"It's a lovely parrot," she said, "but I suppose his chatter is just asbothersome as if he were a homelier bird. Well, Mrs. Berry," and sheturned from the window, "I've come to ask you something."
"And something that you hesitate to ask,--I can see that. But don't beafraid, dear. Tell me what it is, and if I have to refuse you, at leastI won't do it harshly."
"I know you won't!" and Dolly felt ashamed of her fears. "Well, it'sjust this. Alicia,--that is, we're all of us just crazy over the heroin the play we saw this afternoon, and we--that is, we think it wouldbe nice if we could--if we could ask him to--to call here, on us."
The dreaded speech was made, and though Mrs. Berry looked surprised,she didn't exclaim in horror at the idea.
"Whose plan is this?" she asked, quietly.
"Why,--well,--we all want it."
"Yes, but who first thought of it?"
"Alicia spoke of it, and--the others agreed,--we all agreed,--that itwould be lots of fun,--if you approved of it." Now Mrs. Berry could seea hole through a millstone, and she knew as well as if she had beentold, that the others had planned this thing,--probably Alicia orBernice,--and had made Dolly their spokesman, because of hergood-natured acquiescence.
"What do YOU think of the idea?" she said smiling.
"At first it seemed to me a very forward thing to do," Dolly replied,looking very sober; "but if you think it's all right, I'd like to meetMr. Coriell. You see, I'm going to be an opera singer myself, some day,and there are a few questions I'd like to ask him."
Mrs. Berry gasped. "You do beat the dickens!" she exclaimed. "So you'regoing on the stage, are you?"
"Yes, I think so."
"Then of course you ought to meet an actor. Tell Alicia to go ahead andask this man. Tell her to invite him to tea on Friday. I'll arrange apretty tea-party for you."
"Oh, I'll tell her! She'll be SO glad!" and Dolly departed, quiteunconscious that she had unwittingly betrayed Alicia's principal partin the scheme.