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MEMOIES 03? JOSEPH GEIMALDI. 47
Miss Hughes every evening in his mother's presence, and every
Sunday she spent with them. All this time his reputation was rapidly increasing; almost every new part he played rendered him a greater favourite than before, and altogether his lot in life was a cheerful and contented one.
At this period, the only inhabitants of the house in Penton-
place were Q-riraaldi and his mother, and Mrs. Lewis, of whom honourable mention has been so often made in the present chapter, together with her husband; there was no servant in the house ; a girl that had lived with them some time having gone into the country to see her friends, and no other having been engaged in her absence.
One night in the middle of August, a "night rehearsal" was
called at Sadler's "Wells. -For the information of those who are unacquainted with theatrical matters, it may be well to state that a " night rehearsal" takes place after the other performances of the evening are over, and the public have left the house. Being an inconvenient and fatiguing ceremony, it is never re- sorted to, but when some very heavy piece (that is, one on a very extensive scale) is to be produced on a short notice. In this instance a new piece was to be played on the following Monday, of which the performers knew very little, and there being no time to lose, a " night rehearsal" was called, the natural consequence of which would be the detention of the company at the theatre until four o'clock in the morning at least. Mr. Lewis, having notice of the rehearsal in common with the other performers, looked up their dwelling-house, being the last person who left it; brought the street-door key with him, and handed it over to Mr. Grimaldi.
But after the performances were over, which was shortly after
eleven, o'clock, when the curtain was raised, and the performers, assembling on the stage, prepared to commence the rehearsal, the stage-manager addressed the company in the following un- expected and very agreeable terms :— |
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