III

Pray what trick have you on your mind now? asked Garrick, when he was alone with Peggy. “What was that caprice of yours?”

“Caprice? You are a fool, Davy. You even forget your own precepts, which your friend Mr. Johnson, in his wisdom condemned so heartily yesterday.”

“Good Lord! You mean to—”

“I mean to make Miss Hoppner act the part of a jealous woman to perfection.” And she did so. The next day at the rehearsal, Garrick, as well as every member of the company, was amazed at the energy which Miss Hoppner contrived to impart to the scene in the play where, in the character of Oriana, she stabbed her successful rival. She acted with a force that had scarcely been surpassed by Garrick's reading of the scene for her instruction the previous day.

“Faith, Peggy, you have given her a weapon for your own undoing,” said Garrick, as he walked home with Mrs. Woffington. “She will eclipse you, if you do not mind.”

“I 'll e'en run the risk,” said Peggy.

Alas! the next day Miss Hoppner was as feeble as ever—nay, the stabbing scene had never been so feebly gone through by her; and Garrick grumbled loudly.

Miss Hoppner did not seem to mind. At the end of the rehearsal she sought Peggy and offered her her hand.

“Mrs. Woffington,” she said, “I am desirous of asking your pardon for my curtness in the matter of the dress. I owe so much to your kindness, madam, I feel that my attempt to fix a quarrel upon you was the more base. Pray, forgive an unhappy creature, who only seeks to retain the honour of your friendship.”

“Oh, you goose!” said Peggy. “Why are you so foolish as to desire to make friends with me? You should have hated me—been ready to kill me—anything for the sake of becoming an actress.”

“You will not refuse me the forgiveness which I implore?” said Miss Hoppner.

“Nay, nay; I was in the wrong; it was my caprice, but carried out solely on your behalf, child,” said Peggy.

“On my behalf? Oh, you are quite right; I was beginning to forget myself—to forget that I was but a provincial actress.”

“Oh, you good natured creature!” cried Peggy. “I'll have to begin all over again.”

They had reached the stage door by this time, and were standing together in the long passage when a tall and good-looking man was admitted, enquiring for Miss Hoppner. Peggy did not fail to notice the brightening of the color of her companion as the gentleman advanced and took off his hat with a low bow. It was with a certain proprietary air that Miss Hoppner presented him to Peggy, by the name of Captain Joycelyn, of the Royal Scots.

“Captain Joycelyn is one of your warmest admirers, Mrs. Woffington,” said Miss Hoppner.

“Sir, I am overwhelmed,” said Mrs. Woffington, with a deep courtesy.

“Nay, madam, I am your servant, I swear,” said the gentleman. “I have often longed for this honor, but it ever seemed out of my reach. We of the Royal Scots consider ourselves no mean judges of your art, and we agree that the playhouse without Mrs. Woffington would be lusterless.”

“Ah, sir, you would still have Mrs. Clive,” suggested Peggy.

“Mrs. Clive? You can afford to be generous, madam,” laughed Captain Joycelyn.

“She is the most generous woman alive,” said Miss Hoppner. “She will prove herself such if she converses with you here for five minutes. I was going away forgetting that I had to talk to the wardrobe mistress about my turban. I shall not be more than five minutes away.”

“I protest it makes no demand upon my generosity to remain to listen to so agreeable a critic, though I admit that I do so with a certain tremor, sir,” said Peggy, with a charming assumption of the fluttered miss.

“A certain tremor? Why should you have a tremor, dear madam?” said the officer.

“Ah, 't is the talk of the town that all hearts go down before the Royal Scots, as the King's enemies did in the Low Countries.”

“An idle rumour, madam, I do assure you.”

“I might have thought so up till now; but now I think I would do wisely to retreat in order, Captain, while there is yet time.”

She looked up at his face with a smile of matchless coquetry.

“Nay, madam, you shall not stir,” said he, laughing. “'T is not the conqueror that should retreat. I am too conscientious a soldier to permit so gross a violation of the art of war. Seriously, why should you fly?”

“I am a poor strategist, but I have a sense of danger. Is Miss Hoppner a special friend of yours, sir?”

“A special friend? Well, we have been acquaintances for nigh half a year.”

“I thought I had seen her by your side at Ranelagh. She looked very happy. I dare say I should be ashamed to confess it, but I envied her.”

Peggy's eyes were turned upon the ground with a demureness that represented the finest art of the coquette.

“You—you envied her?” cried the officer. “How humble must be your aspirations, sweet creature! If I should not be thought to be over-bold I would offer—ah! I fear that so brief an acquaintanceship as ours does not warrant my presumption—”

“And yet you do not look like one who would be likely to give offense by overpresumption, sir.”

“I should be sorry to do so, madam. Well, if you promise not to flout me, I will say that if you will accept my escort any night to the Gardens, you will do me a great honour.”

“Oh, sir, your graceful offer overwhelms me. But, alas! all my evenings are not my own. I am free but this evening and to-morrow evening.”

“Then why not come this evening, madam?”

“Why not, indeed? only—is 't not too sudden, Captain? Ah, the dash of Royal Scots cannot be resisted!”

At this moment Miss Hoppner returned, and Peggy cried to her, “My dear child, your friend is Mercury—the messenger of the Elysian Fields—he has invited us to accompany him to Ranelagh to-night.”

“Indeed! That is kind of him,” said Miss Hoppner, without any great show of enthusiasm. “And you have accepted his invitation?”

“Ah! who could refuse?” cried Peggy. She had not failed to notice Captain Joycelyn's little start at her assumption that Miss Hoppner was also to be of the party. “You will not mar our enjoyment by refusing to come, my dear?” she added.

“Nay; if 't is all settled, I will not hold aloof,” said Miss Hoppner, brightening up somewhat.

They went out together, and before Peggy had parted from the others, the manner and the hour of their going had been arranged.