CHAPTER XXVII

MY DEBUT

The next day the play-bills of the "_Grand Circus of the Two Worlds_" bore the following announcement:

ELEPHANT JUGGLER The Famous "Devadatta" Brother of Ganesa

When the evening arrived, and the performance was about to begin, I was not much excited--but terribly ashamed. I thought, "What would Parvati say if she could see me? I am about to amuse an audience by ridiculous tricks; and if I should be so unlucky as to let slip a ring, no doubt I shall be punished! Mr. Oldham, it is true, has a fairly good-natured face, but Mr. Greathorse might make himself very disagreeable--and no doubt threaten me, as he does the horses, who at the moment were making the tour of the Ring."

The performance began by an Equestrian Act, by Messrs. Crampton, Hampton, and Bampton. The horses were expected to leap over various obstacles, and as I stood near the door, I could see Mr. Greathorse in the centre of the Ring, with an enormous whip in his hand, cutting the air with slashing strokes, to excite the poor creatures, and when one of them, in spite of the efforts of the rider and the cracking of the lash, hesitated to jump, he looked as if he would have been glad to proceed from threats to blows!

After the Cramp tons, the Hamptons, and the Bamptons, the Ulverstone Sisters appeared; but while the bar was being placed in position three singular persons bounded into the Ring--one turning handsprings, one walking on his hands, and the other disjointing himself in a series of summersaults. They were dressed in a large, loose garment, made all in one piece, and decorated with strange patterns; one had a rising sun painted in the middle of his back and on his stomach, and one had an enormous frog. All had their faces whitened with flour, and wore wigs of white or red with a long lock standing up at the crown.... They amused the public by all sorts of extravagances; they exchanged buffets with each other; threw themselves down on the ground, and jumped up suddenly.... They pretended to assist the servants who were adjusting the bar, and perpetually tumbled down in the most grotesque attitudes. The public laughed loudly at their antics.

I looked very earnestly at these persons, and I finally discovered underneath the flour the features of Mr. Trick, Mr. Trock--and Mr. Oldham! I was greatly astonished, and somewhat shocked to have for my Preceptor a gentleman who could so forget his dignity!

Between each number of the program Mr. Oldham, and Messrs. Trick and Trock repeated their buffooneries.

The performance went along very well. The praises with which Mr. Hardwick had showered his companions in introducing us seemed to me well merited. The Smith Brothers were wonderfully agile; if Mrs. Greathorse was unpleasant to live with, she was a most adroit Equilibrist; Miss Alice Jewel was extremely successful on the Tight-rope. The Riders did well, and I was charmed with the graceful movements of Miss Clara Morley's horse, which she managed altogether by kind words. Only poor Annie Greathorse awakened my pity--she seemed so ill at ease on her Trapeze!

It was after her that the "Famous Devadatta" was to appear. And I appeared. I was applauded, and on my return from the Ring was kindly received and caressed by the members of the company. But I was far from happy; the least notice from Parvati would have been sweeter!

The end of the representation pleased me more than all the rest; it was finished by the trained Birds of Miss Circé Nightingale, and the "_Dance of Light_" by Miss Sarah Skipton.

They brought a great Cage into the middle of the Ring, full of all kinds of Birds singing most delightfully. Then Miss Circé appeared, looking charming in a dress of pale blue, with a silver girdle around her waist; a silver comb sparkled in her beautiful blond hair; she held in her hand a silver flute. She went at once to the Cage, opened the door, and all the Birds flew out and circled round her, and some perched on her shoulder. She smiled upon them in a sweet, friendly way, and at a little gesture from her, they all flew up to the ceiling of the Circus. She then played on the flute, and the Birds accompanied her, and one could not distinguish the song of the Birds from the notes of the flute.

Then she hastened the time of the music and the Birds descended towards her, and circled around her head, like a kind of living coronet.... She constantly altered the measure of the music, and the Birds who were familiar with it formed new figures--all of them most beautiful; and one might have imagined the lovely _Bird Charmer_ to be a _Queen of Air_!

And when the flute ceased Miss Circé's gay little friends went joyously back into their Cage, and the delighted audience applauded with enthusiasm.

Where the Cage had stood they now brought in and set up a large platform, on which Miss Sarah Skipton mounted, dressed in a very full gown of thin, light material, made with an extraordinary number of flounces or plaits; her beautiful golden hair floated over her shoulders. Then the lights were put out: only four great lamps, or rather lanterns, were left, which shed their rays directly onto the platform, surrounding Miss Sarah with a luminous aureole. Then they passed before the lanterns coloured glasses, and among these reflections, which changed each instant, Sarah danced.... She danced quick and light, or slow and languid; her dress whirled around her, and grew red--green--yellow--and violet in turn--and sometimes all the colours of the rainbow at once. She seemed a flower--a butterfly--a bird; she was the dawn; she was the twilight; she was the storm, with flashes of lightning; she was the waves of the sea, smiling in the morning light; she was precious stones--and last of all--the glorious triumphant Sun!... And suddenly all the lights were turned on, and Sarah received the acclamations of the Audience in triumph!

The performance was over. I modestly retired to my stable, quite dazzled by the "_Dance of Light._"