Mémoires d'un Éléphant blanc. English

  CHAPTER XXVII

  MY DEBUT

  The next day the play-bills of the "_Grand Circus of the Two Worlds_"bore the following announcement:

  ELEPHANT JUGGLER The Famous "Devadatta" Brother of Ganesa

  When the evening arrived, and the performance was about to begin, I wasnot much excited--but terribly ashamed. I thought, "What would Parvatisay if she could see me? I am about to amuse an audience by ridiculoustricks; and if I should be so unlucky as to let slip a ring, no doubtI shall be punished! Mr. Oldham, it is true, has a fairly good-naturedface, but Mr. Greathorse might make himself very disagreeable--and nodoubt threaten me, as he does the horses, who at the moment were makingthe tour of the Ring."

  The performance began by an Equestrian Act, by Messrs. Crampton,Hampton, and Bampton. The horses were expected to leap over variousobstacles, and as I stood near the door, I could see Mr. Greathorse inthe centre of the Ring, with an enormous whip in his hand, cutting theair with slashing strokes, to excite the poor creatures, and when oneof them, in spite of the efforts of the rider and the cracking of thelash, hesitated to jump, he looked as if he would have been glad toproceed from threats to blows!

  After the Cramp tons, the Hamptons, and the Bamptons, the UlverstoneSisters appeared; but while the bar was being placed in position threesingular persons bounded into the Ring--one turning handsprings, onewalking on his hands, and the other disjointing himself in a series ofsummersaults. They were dressed in a large, loose garment, made all inone piece, and decorated with strange patterns; one had a rising sunpainted in the middle of his back and on his stomach, and one had anenormous frog. All had their faces whitened with flour, and wore wigsof white or red with a long lock standing up at the crown.... Theyamused the public by all sorts of extravagances; they exchanged buffetswith each other; threw themselves down on the ground, and jumped upsuddenly.... They pretended to assist the servants who were adjustingthe bar, and perpetually tumbled down in the most grotesque attitudes.The public laughed loudly at their antics.

  I looked very earnestly at these persons, and I finally discoveredunderneath the flour the features of Mr. Trick, Mr. Trock--and Mr.Oldham! I was greatly astonished, and somewhat shocked to have for myPreceptor a gentleman who could so forget his dignity!

  Between each number of the program Mr. Oldham, and Messrs. Trick andTrock repeated their buffooneries.

  The performance went along very well. The praises with which Mr.Hardwick had showered his companions in introducing us seemed tome well merited. The Smith Brothers were wonderfully agile; ifMrs. Greathorse was unpleasant to live with, she was a most adroitEquilibrist; Miss Alice Jewel was extremely successful on theTight-rope. The Riders did well, and I was charmed with the gracefulmovements of Miss Clara Morley's horse, which she managed altogether bykind words. Only poor Annie Greathorse awakened my pity--she seemed soill at ease on her Trapeze!

  It was after her that the "Famous Devadatta" was to appear. And Iappeared. I was applauded, and on my return from the Ring was kindlyreceived and caressed by the members of the company. But I was far fromhappy; the least notice from Parvati would have been sweeter!

  The end of the representation pleased me more than all the rest; itwas finished by the trained Birds of Miss Circe Nightingale, and the"_Dance of Light_" by Miss Sarah Skipton.

  They brought a great Cage into the middle of the Ring, full of allkinds of Birds singing most delightfully. Then Miss Circe appeared,looking charming in a dress of pale blue, with a silver girdle aroundher waist; a silver comb sparkled in her beautiful blond hair; sheheld in her hand a silver flute. She went at once to the Cage, openedthe door, and all the Birds flew out and circled round her, and someperched on her shoulder. She smiled upon them in a sweet, friendly way,and at a little gesture from her, they all flew up to the ceiling ofthe Circus. She then played on the flute, and the Birds accompaniedher, and one could not distinguish the song of the Birds from the notesof the flute.

  Then she hastened the time of the music and the Birds descended towardsher, and circled around her head, like a kind of living coronet.... Sheconstantly altered the measure of the music, and the Birds who werefamiliar with it formed new figures--all of them most beautiful; andone might have imagined the lovely _Bird Charmer_ to be a _Queen ofAir_!

  And when the flute ceased Miss Circe's gay little friends went joyouslyback into their Cage, and the delighted audience applauded withenthusiasm.

  Where the Cage had stood they now brought in and set up a largeplatform, on which Miss Sarah Skipton mounted, dressed in a veryfull gown of thin, light material, made with an extraordinary numberof flounces or plaits; her beautiful golden hair floated over hershoulders. Then the lights were put out: only four great lamps, orrather lanterns, were left, which shed their rays directly ontothe platform, surrounding Miss Sarah with a luminous aureole. Thenthey passed before the lanterns coloured glasses, and among thesereflections, which changed each instant, Sarah danced.... She dancedquick and light, or slow and languid; her dress whirled around her,and grew red--green--yellow--and violet in turn--and sometimes all thecolours of the rainbow at once. She seemed a flower--a butterfly--abird; she was the dawn; she was the twilight; she was the storm, withflashes of lightning; she was the waves of the sea, smiling in themorning light; she was precious stones--and last of all--the glorioustriumphant Sun!... And suddenly all the lights were turned on, andSarah received the acclamations of the Audience in triumph!

  The performance was over. I modestly retired to my stable, quitedazzled by the "_Dance of Light._"