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Observe his facial expression. Villiers observed it, and admitted also in a whisper that it was truly marvellous. Cold beef formed the staple viand on the table, and everyone did full justice to it, as also to beer and porter, of which Mr Wopples was very generous. 'I prefer to give my friends good beer instead of bad champagne, he said, pompously. 'Ha! ha! the antithesis, I think, is good.
'And we also, I hope, said Mr Wopples, ungrammatically. 'Come and see "The Cruet Stand" again. I'll put your name on the free list. M. Vandeloup thanked the actor warmly for this kind offer, and took himself off; as he passed along the street he heard a burst of laughter from the Wopples family, no doubt caused by some witticism of the head of the clan.
Altogether, Kitty fully repaid the good action of Mr Wopples by making his tour a wonderful success, and the family returned to Melbourne in high glee with full pockets. 'Next year, said Mr Wopples, at a supper which they had to celebrate the success of their tour, 'we'll have a theatre in Melbourne, and I'll make it the favourite house of the city, see if I don't.
This was unanimously carried, and after some difficulty with the door-keeper a crusty old man with a red face and white hair, that stood straight up in a tuft, and made him look like an infuriated cockatoo they obtained access to the mysterious regions of the stage, and there found Master Sheridan Wopples practising a breakdown while waiting for the rest of the family to get ready.
It seemed, therefore, as though Kitty had found her vocation, and would develop into an operatic star, but fate intervened, and Miss Marchurst retired from the stage, which she had adorned so much. This was due to Madame Midas, who, driving down Collins Street one day, saw Kitty at the corner walking with Fanny Wopples.
'Of course the characters find out in Act I that the will is in the cruet stand; in Act II, while pursuing it, they get mixed up with the bailiff's mother-in-law; and in Act III, finished Mr Wopples, exultingly, 'they run it to earth in a pawnshop. Oh, I assure you it is a most original play. 'Very, assented the other, dryly; 'the author must be a man of genius who wrote it?
The ten all simultaneously bowed at this as if they were worked by machinery, and then everyone sat down to supper, Mr Theodore Wopples taking the head of the table. All the family seemed to admire him immensely, and kept their eyes fastened on his face with affectionate regard. 'Pa, whispered Miss Siddons Wopples to Villiers, who sat next to her, 'is a most wonderful man.
'Rather a peculiar title, isn't it? said Villiers, taking the ticket. 'The play is still more peculiar, sir, replied Mr Wopples, restoring the bulky packet of tickets to his pocket, 'dealing as it does with the adventures of a youth who hides his father's will in a cruet stand, which is afterwards annexed by a comic bailiff.
'Who else was with you and Villiers on that night? asked Slivers in a magisterial kind of manner. 'A French fellow called Vandeloup. 'Vandeloup! echoed Slivers in surprise; 'oh, indeed! what the devil was he doing? 'Enjoying himself, replied Barty, coolly; 'he came into the theatre and Villiers introduced him to me; then Mr Wopples asked us all to supper. 'You went, of course?
'Oh! cried Kitty, recognising a familiar remark, 'it's Mr Wopples. 'The same, said the airy Theodore, laying his hand on his heart, 'and you, my dear why, bless me, looking closely at her, 'it is the pretty girl I met in Ballarat dear, dear surely you have not come to this.
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