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This was rather difficult to manage, inasmuch as the stairs were narrow, and three people being between Mr Wopples and his dressing- room, he could not squeeze past. Finally the difficulty was settled by Villiers, who was last, and who went back and turned out the gas. When he came down he found Mr Wopples waiting for him.
When this was the case they generally celebrated the event by a little supper, and as their present season in Ballarat bid fair to be a successful one, Mr Theodore Wopples determined to have a convivial evening after the performance was over.
'On the honour of a gentleman, answered Wopples, with grave dignity. Kitty told him how she had left Ballarat, but suppressed the name of her lover, as she did not want any blame to fall on him. But all the rest she told freely, and when Mr Wopples heard how on that night she had left the man who had ruined her, he swore a mighty oath.
Villiers, Vandeloup, and Barty went out and had a drink, and as none of them felt inclined to go to bed, Villiers told them he knew Mr Theodore Wopples, and proposed that they should go behind the scenes and see him.
When the two girls reached the hotel where the family was staying, Fanny gave her father a glowing account of the opulence of Madame Midas, and Mr Wopples was greatly interested in the whole affair. He was grave, however, when Kitty spoke to him privately of what Madame had said to her, and asked her if she would not like to accept Mrs Villiers' offer.
'By the way, said Mr Wopples, breaking off suddenly in a light and airy manner, 'as I came down here I saw a lovely girl a veritable fairy, sir with golden hair, and a bright smile that haunts me still. I exchanged a few remarks with her regarding the beauty of the day, and thus allegorically referred to the beauty of herself a charming flight of fancy, I think, sir.
'You, then, said Villiers, after he had perused this document, 'are Mr Wopples? 'Theodore Wopples, at your service, said that gentleman, rolling up the bill, then putting it into his pocket, he produced therefrom a batch of tickets. 'One of these, handing a ticket to Villiers, 'will admit you to the stalls tonight, where you will see myself and the children in "The Cruet-Stand".
That the Wopples family were favourites with the Ballarat folk was amply seen by the crowded house which assembled to see 'The Cruet Stand'. The audience were very impatient for the curtain to rise, as they did not appreciate the overture, which consisted of airs from 'La Mascotte', adapted for the violin and piano by Mr Handel Wopples, who was the musical genius of the family, and sat in the conductor's seat, playing the violin and conducting the orchestra of one, which on this occasion was Miss Jemima Wopples, who presided at the piano.
At this moment, however, Kilsip bent forward and whispered something to the Coroner, whereupon Kitty was recalled. Q. You were an actress, Miss Marchurst? A. Yes. I was on tour with Mr Theodore Wopples for some time. Q. Do you know a drama called 'The Hidden Hand'? A. Yes I have played in it once or twice. Q. Is there not a strong resemblance between your story of this crime and the drama?
By these means Mr Wopples kept up the reputation of the family, and the upper classes of all the towns invariably supported the show, while the lower classes came as a matter of course. Mr Wopples, however, was equally as clever in providing a bill of fare as in inducing the public to come to the theatre, and the adaptability of the family was really wonderful.
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