"
William scowled at her and once more muttered monotonously his opening
lines:
"A wolf am I--a wolf on mischief bent,
To eat this little maid is my intent."
"Take a breath after 'bent,' darling. Now say it again."
William complied, introducing this time a loud and audible gasp to
represent the breath. Mrs. de Vere Carter sighed.
"Now, Cuthbert, darling, draw your little sword and put your arm round
Joan. That's right."
Cuthbert obeyed, and his clear voice rose in a high chanting monotone.
"Avaunt! Begone! You wicked wolf, away!
This gentle maid shall never be your prey."
"That's beautiful, darling. Now, William, slink away. _Slink_ away,
darling. Don't stand staring at Cuthbert like that. Slink away. I'll
show you. Watch me slink away."
Mrs. de Vere Carter slunk away realistically, and the sight of it
brought momentary delight to William's weary soul. Otherwise the
rehearsals were not far removed from torture to him. The thought of
being a wolf had at first attracted him, but actually a wolf character
who had to repeat Mrs. de Vere Carter's meaningless couplets and be
worsted at every turn by the smiling Cuthbert, who was forced to
watch from behind the scenes the fond embraces of Cuthbert and Joan,
galled his proud spirit unspeakably. Moreover Cuthbert monopolised her
both before and after the rehearsals.
"Come away, Joan, he'th prob'bly all over coal dutht and all of a
meth.
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