Marion Marlowe's Triumph, or, In Spite of Her Enemies — page 5: what you’re looking at

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

5 Ff . al “3. ¥? > MY QUEEN. woman like Mrs. Denison should be so badly } treated. Just as she reached the top of the stairs the door of the back room flew open, disclosing a blaze of light that almost dazzled her as : passed it. A young man dashed out clad in a most extraordinary costume, including a. pair of white duck trousers, surmounted by a gorge- 4 ~ ous Roman toga and a fool’s cap and bells aA perched jauntily upon his disgustingly long De _ tresses. “Ah! thy pardon, fair maid!” he ex- _ aimed, tragically, as he saw Marion. . Then | the fool’s cap was doffed and he salaamed be- Fy - fore her. ot ve cf The young girl smiled, both at his costume _ and at his words, but there was just a tinge of disgust in her tones as she answered his - not apologize. proper,” 4 lowe!” he said, slowly. ad apology. Gordon. You need I have been told that you ac- “Good-evening, Mr. tors claim immunity from the proprieties.” “Not so, I assure you! We are most was the reply; “only it 1s our way to be frolicsome, especially after the perform- ance.” | ‘ “Ts that what you call it?’ asked Marion, with a smile. “Well, you certainly are kid- dish, so why shouldn’t you frolic.” Ed Gordon’s theatrical air was laid aside in an instant, and as he stared hard at the young girl his handsome face reddened slightly. “You dislike the profession, Miss Mar- “Our fun disgusts you! You are too dignified to enjoy it!” Marion knew that a dozen ears were strained for her reply, for the door behind her was still standing wide open. “I like most kinds of fun,” she said, very slowly, “but I do dgftest that form of amuse- ment which is inconsiderate of other people. One should be just even in fun, I think, Mr. Gordon.” 3 “And we make too much noise, you mean, Miss Marlowe!” said the young man, quickly. Before Marion could answer a woman rushed out into the hall. “What nonsense!” she cried, angrily. “If we annoy Miss Marlowe, why doesn’t she go away? This is a professional house now, and we pay for our privileges!” Marion turned and looked at her, but did not speak. “Miss Marlowe is right—we are inconsid- 99 erate,” said Mr. Gordon, gravely. Marion thanked him with her® eyes, and passed on up the stairs. The. woman dashed back into the room Then the slammed, and ‘Marion knew that the hand- with an angry , retort. door some actor had followed her. One or two angry remarks passed, and then the voices became subdued. It was evident that the party in Miss Stanley’s room was having a vigorous discussion. CHAPTER WI. A PLAN FOR REVENGE. - Marion heard their remarks to each other, but she went on without heeding them. When she reached her room she‘closed the door behind her, but, although it was after midnight, she*did not think of retiring. “No use trying to sleep until they are qufet,” she said to herself; “and probably they'll make more noise than ever just be- cause I said what I did. Perhaps it woulu have been wiser to have paid no attention.” She disrobed leisurely and made herself comfortable for the night, and after ‘a while she quite forgot the little unpleasantness in the hall, for her mind was filled with recol- lections of the play she had witnessed that evening. “Oh, I should just love to be an actress,” she murmured to herself; “not a mediocre ac- tress like those people down stairs, but a great star like Duse, Bernhardt or even Modjeska !" GOMMGIOOKSHG SS