performance. During the carriage ride, Imogene tried to get her feelings in order. She was excited for the play and would be happy to see her friends and Mr. Phillip again, yet her sister would be leaving, and her mother would be speaking to Mr. Cole about a possible betrothal. However, just as she stepped into the gathering room, she firmly settled herself on being relaxed, letting go, and just having a pleasant evening.
The exposition of the assembly already brought her into better spirits, especially when she allowed it. Her friends all talked in anticipation of their performance, and even some who were not a part of it had caught word of it and voiced their interest, or at least their curiosity. Finally, the time came. Chairs were provided for all to sit and watch. Those involved were seated facing the spectators with their books open. Imogene raised her violin and bow to play a prologue melody as the first scene opened. As the play progressed, Imogene could not help smiling at her scheme as her friends read the roles of sonnet-spouting Athenians. Then came time for her reading as Puck. At first, her voice was hollow and wavering. With all eyes on her, she was afraid of being thought ridiculous.
She had an opportunity—while Nell was reading the famed "Over hill, over dale..." speech—to glance out at the audience. All seemed to be enjoying the performance; only a few faces showed little or no interest. But there were two faces she was very surprised to see—those of Mr. Archer and Clarice. Clarice was sitting in the back of the room, glowing with delight, and Mr. Archer stood directly behind her. She was almost struck dumb, but her ears caught the silence after Nell's speech, and she took up her cue. It did not take long for Puck's words to become her own, and she soon forgot herself and all observing. Her voice cackled with mischievous glee through the still room as her spritely alter-ego declaimed the history of Oberon and Titiana's quarrels. Near the scene's end, she thought she could hear laughter. Stealing another glance out, the audience appeared lit up, and even Mr. Archer was displaying a flicker of a grin, and his eyes betrayed that he had laughed.
As Imogene provided the music for another scene, she felt a little dizzy and shaky. Though now it was not because she was nervous, but enthralled. She never felt such excitement as reading a role before an audience and hearing how they enjoyed it.
At the play's end, all applauded, then came forth to congratulate them all on their performance. Many remarked to Imogene how they enjoyed her rendition of Puck. She noticed a few people standing aside whose side-glances displayed disapproval—her mother's among them—but she did not give any of it a second thought. Instead, she turned her attention to Mr. Phillip and made her way to him. Before she could reach him, however, she was prevented by Clarice and Mr. Archer, whom she had nearly forgotten about.
"That was wonderful!" Clarice exclaimed.
"I am sorry you were not in it," Imogene attempted to apologize. "If I had known you were going to be here, I would have given you a role."
"We did not know ourselves that we would be here, but the Cole family invited us to attend with their party."
"I am glad they did." And though she truly was glad of it, she also felt very awkward since her parents had not invited the Archers and was worried how it made the two think of her. She thought of making up an excuse, such as a fault with the mail delivery, but decided it would only increase the awkwardness.
"You did very well," Mr. Archer spoke up.
"Thank you, sir," Imogene smiled.
"I particularly enjoyed the line ‘Lord, what fools these mortals be'."
"That is a favorite of mine, too. I am glad you enjoyed it."
The exposition of the assembly already brought her into better spirits, especially when she allowed it. Her friends all talked in anticipation of their performance, and even some who were not a part of it had caught word of it and voiced their interest, or at least their curiosity. Finally, the time came. Chairs were provided for all to sit and watch. Those involved were seated facing the spectators with their books open. Imogene raised her violin and bow to play a prologue melody as the first scene opened. As the play progressed, Imogene could not help smiling at her scheme as her friends read the roles of sonnet-spouting Athenians. Then came time for her reading as Puck. At first, her voice was hollow and wavering. With all eyes on her, she was afraid of being thought ridiculous.
She had an opportunity—while Nell was reading the famed "Over hill, over dale..." speech—to glance out at the audience. All seemed to be enjoying the performance; only a few faces showed little or no interest. But there were two faces she was very surprised to see—those of Mr. Archer and Clarice. Clarice was sitting in the back of the room, glowing with delight, and Mr. Archer stood directly behind her. She was almost struck dumb, but her ears caught the silence after Nell's speech, and she took up her cue. It did not take long for Puck's words to become her own, and she soon forgot herself and all observing. Her voice cackled with mischievous glee through the still room as her spritely alter-ego declaimed the history of Oberon and Titiana's quarrels. Near the scene's end, she thought she could hear laughter. Stealing another glance out, the audience appeared lit up, and even Mr. Archer was displaying a flicker of a grin, and his eyes betrayed that he had laughed.
As Imogene provided the music for another scene, she felt a little dizzy and shaky. Though now it was not because she was nervous, but enthralled. She never felt such excitement as reading a role before an audience and hearing how they enjoyed it.
At the play's end, all applauded, then came forth to congratulate them all on their performance. Many remarked to Imogene how they enjoyed her rendition of Puck. She noticed a few people standing aside whose side-glances displayed disapproval—her mother's among them—but she did not give any of it a second thought. Instead, she turned her attention to Mr. Phillip and made her way to him. Before she could reach him, however, she was prevented by Clarice and Mr. Archer, whom she had nearly forgotten about.
"That was wonderful!" Clarice exclaimed.
"I am sorry you were not in it," Imogene attempted to apologize. "If I had known you were going to be here, I would have given you a role."
"We did not know ourselves that we would be here, but the Cole family invited us to attend with their party."
"I am glad they did." And though she truly was glad of it, she also felt very awkward since her parents had not invited the Archers and was worried how it made the two think of her. She thought of making up an excuse, such as a fault with the mail delivery, but decided it would only increase the awkwardness.
"You did very well," Mr. Archer spoke up.
"Thank you, sir," Imogene smiled.
"I particularly enjoyed the line ‘Lord, what fools these mortals be'."
"That is a favorite of mine, too. I am glad you enjoyed it."
Similar Books
