下载辰思小说免费APP
Bythetimetheyreachedthepieritwassixo’clock；theroyalyachtwasreturning；afactannouncedbytheshipsintheharbourfiringasalute。TheKingcameashorewithhishatinhishand，andreturnedthesalutationsofthewell-dressedcrowdinhisoldindiscriminatefashion。WhilethischeeringandwavingofhandkerchiefswasgoingonAnnestoodbetweenthetwobrothers，whoprotectinglyjoinedtheirhandsbehindherback，asifshewereadelicatepieceofstatuarythatapushmightdamage。SoontheKinghadpassed，andreceivingthemilitarysalutesofthepiquet，joinedtheQueenandprincessesatGloucesterLodge，thehomelyhouseofredbrickinwhichheunostentatiouslyresided。
Astherewasyetsomelittletimebeforethetheatrewouldopen，theystrayeduponthevelvetsands，andlistenedtothesongsofthesailors，oneofwhomextemporizedfortheoccasion:——
’PortlandRoadtheKingaboard，theKingaboard！
PortlandRoadtheKingaboard，WeweighedandsailedfromPortlandRoad！’*
*VidePreface。
Whentheyhadlookedonawhileatthecombatsatsingle-stickwhichwereinprogresshardby，andseenthesumoffiveguineashandedovertothemodestgentlemanwhohadbrokenmostheads，theyreturnedtoGloucesterLodge，whencetheKingandothermembersofhisfamilynowreappeared，anddrove，ataslowtrot，roundtothetheatreincarriagesdrawnbytheHanoverianwhitehorsesthatweresowellknowninthetownatthisdate。
WhenAnneandBobenteredthetheatretheyfoundthatJohnhadtakenexcellentplaces，andconcludedthathehadgotthemfornothingthroughtheinfluenceoftheladyofhischoice。Asamatteroffacthehadpaidfullpricesforthosetwoseats，likeanyotheroutsider，andeventhenhadadifficultyingettingthem，itbeingaKing’snight。Whentheyweresettledhehimselfretiredtoanobscurepartofthepit，fromwhichthestagewasscarcelyvisible。
’Wecanseebeautifully，’saidBob，inanaristocraticvoice，ashetookadelicatepinchofsnuff，anddrewoutthemagnificentpocket-handkerchiefbroughthomefromtheEastforsuchoccasions。
’ButIamafraidpoorJohncan’tseeatall。’
’Butwecanseehim，’repliedAnne，’andnoticebyhisfacewhichofthemitisheissocharmedwith。Thelightofthatcornercandlefallsrightuponhischeek。’
BythistimetheKinghadappearedinhisplace，whichwasoverhungbyacanopyofcrimsonsatinfringedwithgold。Abouttwentyplaceswereoccupiedbytheroyalfamilyandsuite；andbeyondthemwasacrowdofpowderedandglitteringpersonagesoffashion，completelyfillingthecentreofthelittlebuilding；thoughtheKingsofrequentlypatronizedthelocalstageduringtheseyearsthatthecrushwasnotinconvenient。
Thecurtainroseandtheplaybegan。To-nightitwasoneofColman’s，whoatthistimeenjoyedgreatpopularity，andMr。
Bannistersupportedtheleadingcharacter。Anne，withherhandprivatelyclaspedinBob’s，andlookingasifshedidnotknowit，partlywatchedthepieceandpartlythefaceoftheimpressionableJohnwhohadsosoontransferredhisaffectionselsewhere。Shehadnotlongtowait。Whenacertainoneofthesubordinateladiesofthecomedyenteredonthestagethetrumpet-majorinhiscornernotonlylookedconscious，butstartedandgazedwithpartedlips。
’Thismustbetheone，’whisperedAnnequickly。’See，heisagitated！’
SheturnedtoBob，butatthesamemomenthishandconvulsivelycloseduponhersashe，too，strangelyfixedhiseyesuponthenewly-enteredlady。
’Whatisit？’
Annelookedfromonetotheotherwithoutregardingthestageatall。Heranswercameinthevoiceoftheactresswhonowspokeforthefirsttime。TheaccentswerethoseofMissMatildaJohnson。
Onethoughtrushedintoboththeirmindsontheinstant，andBobwasthefirsttoutterit。
’What——isshethewomanofhischoiceafterall？’
’Ifso，itisadreadfulthing！’murmuredAnne。
But，asmaybeimagined，theunfortunateJohn
