hammering? Mr. Stage Manager, throw that man out who is making such an awful row under that trap-door!” It soon transpires that the culprit is merely an innocent stage-hand who is putting something to rights under the trap-door: for in every theatre there is always something that is being put right. It further transpires that the stage-hand objects to being sworn at, and that he is quite capable of defending himself with rich, juicy language, and at considerable length. Finally some sort of truce is arranged on condition that the stage-hand wield his hammer a little less noisily. “Let us begin then,” cries the producer hoarsely; but the prompter is now standing on the stage with his watch in his hand: “Twelve o’clock. I’m prompting this afternoon. So I must be off now.” The last rehearsal before the dress-rehearsal usually ends in this manner. It is a close, irritable, stormy, cloud; but to-morrow will arch itself into the wide, radiant, beautiful rainbow of the dress rehearsal.
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