Miss CARLOTTA LECLERCQ, an actress who deserves the highest praise, and
who would receive it were it not that a doubt as to the proper
pronunciation of her name prevents the bashful critic from mentioning
her when flushed with the generous enthusiasm of beer, played PAULINE,
and a number of Uncertain People played the dickens with the rest of the
_dramatis personae_. Every one knows the play, and no one cares to hear
how the Uncertain People mangled it. The audience naturally took no
interest in it until the third scene of the first act was reached, and
shouts of "Long live CLAUDE MELNOTTE" were heard from behind the scenes.
After which everybody remarked, "Now he's coming," and rubbed their
lorgnettes with looks of expectation and corners of pocket-handkerchiefs.
_Enter_ CLAUDE. "Gif me choy, dear mutter, I've won the brize."
_Mother_. "Humph! What's the wally of it, my boy?"
CLAUDE. "Every thing. It is wealth--the 'ope of vame--the ambition to pe
worthier of PAULINE. Ah! I lofe her! I 'ave sent a boem to her. My
messenger ought efen now to be returned."
_Enter_ GASPAR. "CLAUDE, your verses are returned! With kicks! I could
show the marks of them, were it proper to do so in the presence of a
mixed audience!"
_Mother_.
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