Memoirs Of Joseph Grimaldi

128 MEMOIRS OP JOSEPH CKRIMALDI.

most excruciating agony. Determined not to mar the effect of
the scene, however, "by leaving the stage before it -was finished,
he remained on. until its conclusion; and then, when by the
assistance of several persons the hoot was got off it was found
that the explosion had set fire to the stocking, which had been
burning slowly all the time he had remained iipon the stage;
besides which, the wadding was still alight and resting upon
the foot. He was taken home and placed under medical care ;
but the accident confined him to the house for more than a
month.

At length, after a tedious, and, as it appeared to him then,
almost an interminable confinement, he resumed his duties at
Sadler's Wells Theatre, and the part also. But the effect was
never more produced; for from that time forth the pistol was
worn in his belt, in compliance with the established usages of
robber-chieftains upon the stage, who, at minor theatres
especially, would be quite incomplete and out of character with-
out a very broad black belt, with a huge buckle, and at least
two brace of pistols stuck into it.

During this illness he received great attention and kindness
from Miss Bristow, one of the actresses at Drury Lane Theatre.
She attended upon him every morning to assist in dressing the
wound, and enlivened the hours which would otherwise have
been very weary, by her company and conversation. ' In grati-
fade for her kindness, Grimaldi married her on the following
Christmas Eve, and it may be as well to state in this place, that
with her he lived very happily for more than thirty years ; when
she died,

Drury Lane opened on the 30th of September, with "As You
Like It," and " Blue Beard," Grrimaldi's chief part in this piece
was a combat in the last scene but one; which, being very effec-
tive, had always been regularly and vociferously applauded. It
was not originally rn the piece, but had been " invented," and
arranged with appropriate music for the purpose of keeping thenfine him to his bed for upwards of a