.. the directress had schooled them to crowd about me
so as to mask the action.
But the action needed no masking. It was real.
The two guards were on me,--boys who, in everyday life, were big
football men on the freshman team....
I fought them, frenzied, back and forth over the stage, smashing down
the pasteboard hedge, falling ... getting up again....
But, though the scenery went down, the audience did not laugh, but sat
spellbound.
I was finally dragged away ... on the way to the asylum, half my costume
torn from my body ... and I kept crying aloud ... for mercy ... for
deliverance ... after the curtain had long gone down....
"Big Bill" Heizer gave me a thump in the ribs.
"For God's sake, Mr. Gregory" (he had called me "Johnnie" always,
before) "it's only play-acting ... it's not real ... quit it ... it gets
me."
* * * * *
The audience went wild with applause. I had won Laurel's complete
approbation--for the day, as I had won Mt. Hebron's, that fall Field
Day, long before!
* * * * *
Travers had slipped me just one shot of whiskey before the last act went
on. He had tried to persuade me to drink more. He was in my dressing
room....
* * * * *
I could hardly stand, from the weakness of excitement and exertion.
After the play was over--
"_Now_ you can give me the rest of the bottle.
Pages:
470
471
472
473
474
475
476
477
478
479
480
481
482
483
484
485
486
487
488
489
490
491
492
493
494