The Man in Possession — page 127: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

122 THE MAN IN POSSESSION. next best thing to being a success is to be perfectly convinced you cannot be a failure, and therefore, on this principle, there was every hope that the Comedy Company would win innumerable laurels. Lady Jocelyn was not in the least nervous. She knew her ‘‘ people,” and she knew that the theaitri- cals were as good as any other excuse to enable them to crowd together and criticise each other’s gowns and jewels, and gaze at the ‘‘ smart set” from London, and the few lions of art and literature, and wander about through the spacious reception-rooms, and discuss the decorations and the supper. Kate sat by Miss Judy, who was gorgeously attired in purple velvet, and wore a head-dress, where a bird of paradise fluttered in a bed of diamonds and rubies. She was radiant, excited, and amused Kate not a little by a description of her own theatrical efforts in days of yore, which appeared to consist in having played in the ‘‘ Maritana” with some officers sta- tioned at Cork at that time. ‘‘T was always partial to the theatre, and I’m sure ‘tis from me my nephew inherits his talents,” she said. ‘‘ Whenever he stayed with me, we would be going every night to see plays or operas, and upon my word, Miss O’Brien, dear, there’s not a character, nor a part, that Tom couldn't take once he saw it. But he is a clever boy, small doubt of it. I’m only sorry his talents are so universal. If a person does many things well, he'll never take the trouble to do one thing excellently.” This was a piece of wisdom that Kate had not ex- pected from Miss Judy, but her admiration of that COMicloe (Sri C(O)