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'No, it has not, replied Kitty, clenching her hands. 'You never cared what became of me, and had not Mr Wopples met me in the street on that fearful night, God knows where I would have been now. 'I can tell you, said Gaston, coolly, taking a seat. 'With me. You would have soon got tired of the poverty of the streets, and come back to your cage.
They soon arrived at the hotel, and having entered, Mr Wopples pushed open the door of a room from whence the sound of laughter proceeded, and introduced the three strangers to his family. The whole ten, together with Mrs Wopples, were present, and were seated around a large table plentifully laden with cold beef and pickles, salads, bottles of beer, and other things too numerous to mention.
'And are all these big boys and girls yours, Madame? asked Vandeloup, who was rather astonished at the number of the family, and thought some of them might have been hired for theatrical purposes. Mrs Wopples nodded affirmatively with a gratified flutter, and her husband endorsed it. 'There are four dead, he said, in a solemn voice. 'Rest their souls.
Kitty, however, said she would remain on the stage, and as Wopples was to see Madame Midas next day, made him promise he would say nothing about having found her on the streets, or of her living with a lover.
Vandeloup shook hands with Mr and Mrs Wopples, but feeling unequal to taking leave of the ten star artistes in the same way, he bowed in a comprehensive manner, whereupon the whole ten arose from their chairs and bowed unanimously in return. 'Good night, Messrs Villiers and Jarper, said Vandeloup, going out of the door, 'I will see you to-morrow.
'Certainly not, retorted Wopples, haughtily; 'the opulent Melbourne managers refuse to let me have their new pieces, so I have to take the law into my own hands. I'll get all the latest London successes in the same way. We play "Ours" under the title of "The Hero's Return, or the Soldier's Bride": we have done the "Silver King" as "The Living Dead", which was an immense success.
It is, then, little to be wondered at that, satiated as he was with Melbourne gaiety, he should be vastly critical of the humble efforts of the Wopples family to please him. He had met Villiers at his hotel, when both of them being inebriated they swore eternal friendship.
On the spur of the moment, sir, I assure you; does it not remind you of Herrick? Mr Villiers bluntly said it did not. 'Ah! perhaps it's more like Shakespeare? observed the actor, quite unabashed. 'You think so? Mr Villiers was doubtful, and displayed such anxiety to get away that Mr Wopples held out his hand to say goodbye.
No thunderbolt making its appearance to answer the question, Mr Wopples told Kitty he would take her home to the family, and as they were just starting out on tour again, she could come with them. 'But will Mrs Wopples receive me? asked Kitty, timidly.
'This, said Mr Wopples in his deep voice, holding his wife's hand as if he were afraid she would float upward thro' the ceiling like a bubble a not unlikely thing seeing how remarkably ethereal she looked; 'this is my flutterer.
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