The Haymarket [antikvár]

I 'He could not quite make up his mind as to whether he should sit well forward in his box in order that he might the more easily observe the auditorium sweeping so elegantly away into the smoky glitter of the high balconies, or whether he should sit further back so that his view into the stage wings remained unimpeded. And although he was loth to admit it, even to himself, there was the question of simple prudence to be taken into account. To be here at all, and on such a night, was a defiance of his father that was quite breathtaking in its impudence. To compound it further by being observed by some member of the audience who might be acquainted with his father, and who might mention in passing that he had been so observed, would be less than polidc. It had been hot-headed enough to have told Edward where he was goingNot, he assured himself, as he arranged the little gilt chair towards the back of the box, and disposed his long legs on it with what comfort he might, not that it matters one whit to me what he says! He shall learn, indeed he shall leam, that I am not to be treated like some schoolroom chit. Let him give his orders and his demands to Rupert and William, to the girls, to Bart and little Gussie. He may have joy of their obedience. For my part, I care not what he does-But there was, after all, a certain stylishness to be found in sitting there in such a way that no more than the gleam of his white piqué waistcoatan elegant and exceedingly fashionable single-breasted waistcoat, to bootshould be observed from the body of the house. He fell to imagining the glances that would be cast at the stage box by fashionable ladies sitting in the stalls below him, and tried to thrust his father and his anger to the back of his mind. But not with much success. While one part of him played the young-