Memoirs Of Joseph Grimaldi

MEMOIES OP JOSEPH GfKDOiDI. 81

fears had prophesied; he urged the youth of both parties as an
argument against acceding to their wishes, hut finally gave his
consent, and hy so doing transported the lover with joy.

Mr. Hughes advanced to the door of the room, and throwing
it open, as he went out, said to his daughter, who chanced to he
sitting in the next room, " Maria, Joe is here : you had hetter
come and welcome him."

Miss Hughes came like a dutiful daughter, and did welcome
her faithful admirer, as he well deserved for his true-hearted
and constant affection. In the happiness of the moment, the
fact that the door of the room was standing wide open quite
escaped the notice of both, who never once recollected the
possibility of any third person being an unseen witness to the
interview.

This was a red-letter day in Grrrmaldi's calendar; he had
nothing to do in the evening at Drury Lane until the last scene
but one of Blue Beard, so went shopping with his future wife,
buying divers articles of plate, and such other small wares as
young housekeepers require.

On hurrying to the theatre at night, he found Mr. Hughes
anxiously regarding the machinery of the last scene in Blue
Beard, which he was about getting up at the Exeter Theatre.

" This machinery is very intricate, Joe," said the father-in-
law upon seeing him.

"You are right, sir," replied Joe; "and, what is more, it
works very badly."

" So I should expect," was the reply; " and as I am afraid
We shall not manage this very well in the country, I wish I
could improve it."

Among the numerous modes of employing any spare time to
which G-rimaldi resorted for the improvement of a vacant hour,
the invention of model transformations and pantomime tricks
held a foremost place at that time, and did, though in a limited
degree, to the close of his life. -hes had thought over the subject well, and displayed