Chapter 48

by Charles Dickens

　　Being for the Benefit of Mr Vincent Crummles, and positively hislast Appearance on this StageIt was with a very sad and heavy heart, oppressed by many painfulideas, that Nicholas retraced his steps eastward and betook himselfto the counting-house of Cheeryble Brothers. Whatever the idlehopes he had suffered himself to entertain, whatever the pleasantvisions which had sprung up in his mind and grouped themselves roundthe fair image of Madeline Bray, they were now dispelled, and not avestige of their gaiety and brightness remained.It would be a poor compliment to Nicholas's better nature, and onewhich he was very far from deserving, to insinuate that thesolution, and such a solution, of the mystery which had seemed tosurround Madeline Bray, when he was ignorant even of her name, haddamped his ardour or cooled the fervour of his admiration. If hehad regarded her before, with such a passion as young men attractedby mere beauty and elegance may entertain, he was now conscious ofmuch deeper and stronger feelings. But, reverence for the truth andpurity of her heart, respect for the helplessness and loneliness ofher situation, sympathy with the trials of one so young and fair andadmiration of her great and noble spirit, all seemed to raise herfar above his reach, and, while they imparted new depth and dignityto his love, to whisper that it was hopeless.'I will keep my word, as I have pledged it to her,' said Nicholas,manfully. 'This is no common trust that I have to discharge, and Iwill perform the double duty that is imposed upon me mostscrupulously and strictly. My secret feelings deserve noconsideration in such a case as this, and they shall have none.'Still, there were the secret feelings in existence just the same,and in secret Nicholas rather encouraged them than otherwise;reasoning (if he reasoned at all) that there they could do no harmto anybody but himself, and that if he kept them to himself from asense of duty, he had an additional right to entertain himself withthem as a reward for his heroism.All these thoughts, coupled with what he had seen that morning andthe anticipation of his next visit, rendered him a very dull andabstracted companion; so much so, indeed, that Tim Linkinwatersuspected he must have made the mistake of a figure somewhere, whichwas preying upon his mind, and seriously conjured him, if such werethe case, to make a clean breast and scratch it out, rather thanhave his whole life embittered by the tortures of remorse.But in reply to these considerate representations, and many othersboth from Tim and Mr Frank, Nicholas could only be brought to statethat he was never merrier in his life; and so went on all day, andso went towards home at night, still turning over and over again thesame subjects, thinking over and over again the same things, andarriving over and over again at the same conclusions.In this pensive, wayward, and uncertain state, people are apt tolounge and loiter without knowing why, to read placards on the wallswith great attention and without the smallest idea of one word oftheir contents, and to stare most earnestly through shop-windows atthings which they don't see. It was thus that Nicholas foundhimself poring with the utmost interest over a large play-billhanging outside a Minor Theatre which he had to pass on his wayhome, and reading a list of the actors and actresses who hadpromised to do honour to some approaching benefit, with as muchgravity as if it had been a catalogue of the names of those ladiesand gentlemen who stood highest upon the Book of Fate, and he hadbeen looking anxiously for his own. He glanced at the top of thebill, with a smile at his own dulness, as he prepared to resume hiswalk, and there saw announced, in large letters with a large spacebetween each of them, 'Positively the last appearance of Mr VincentCrummles of Provincial Celebrity!!!''Nonsense!' said Nicholas, turning back again. 'It can't be.'But there it was. In one line by itself was an announcement of thefirst night of a new melodrama; in another line by itself was anannouncement of the last six nights of an old one; a third line wasdevoted to the re-engagement of the unrivalled African Knife-swallower, who had kindly suffered himself to be prevailed upon toforego his country engagements for one week longer; a fourth lineannounced that Mr Snittle Timberry, having recovered from his latesevere indisposition, would have the honour of appearing thatevening; a fifth line said that there were 'Cheers, Tears, andLaughter!' every night; a sixth, that that was positively the lastappearance of Mr Vincent Crummles of Provincial Celebrity.'Surely it must be the same man,' thought Nicholas. 'There can't betwo Vincent Crummleses.'The better to settle this question he referred to the bill again,and finding that there was a Baron in the first piece, and thatRoberto (his son) was enacted by one Master Crummles, and Spaletro(his nephew) by one Master Percy Crummles--their last appearances--and that, incidental to the piece, was a characteristic dance by thecharacters, and a castanet pas seul by the Infant Phenomenon--herlast appearance--he no longer entertained any doubt; and presentinghimself at the stage-door, and sending in a scrap of paper with 'MrJohnson' written thereon in pencil, was presently conducted by aRobber, with a very large belt and buckle round his waist, and verylarge leather gauntlets on his hands, into the presence of hisformer manager.Mr Crummles was unfeignedly glad to see him, and starting up frombefore a small dressing-glass, with one very bushy eyebrow stuck oncrooked over his left eye, and the fellow eyebrow and the calf ofone of his legs in his hand, embraced him cordially; at the sametime observing, that it would do Mrs Crummles's heart good to bidhim goodbye before they went.'You were always a favourite of hers, Johnson,' said Crummles,'always were from the first. I was quite easy in my mind about youfrom that first day you dined with us. One that Mrs Crummles took afancy to, was sure to turn out right. Ah! Johnson, what a womanthat is!''I am sincerely obliged to her for her kindness in this and allother respects,' said Nicholas. 'But where are you going,' that youtalk about bidding goodbye?''Haven't you seen it in the papers?' said Crummles, with somedignity.'No,' replied Nicholas.'I wonder at that,' said the manager. 'It was among the varieties.I had the paragraph here somewhere--but I don't know--oh, yes, hereit is.'So saying, Mr Crummles, after pretending that he thought he musthave lost it, produced a square inch of newspaper from the pocket ofthe pantaloons he wore in private life (which, together with theplain clothes of several other gentlemen, lay scattered about on akind of dresser in the room), and gave it to Nicholas to read:'The talented Vincent Crummles, long favourably known to fame as acountry manager and actor of no ordinary pretensions, is about tocross the Atlantic on a histrionic expedition. Crummles is to beaccompanied, we hear, by his lady and gifted family. We know no mansuperior to Crummles in his particular line of character, or onewho, whether as a public or private individual, could carry with himthe best wishes of a larger circle of friends. Crummles is certainto succeed.''Here's another bit,' said Mr Crummles, handing over a still smallerscrap. 'This is from the notices to correspondents, this one.'Nicholas read it aloud. '"Philo-Dramaticus. Crummles, the countrymanager and actor, cannot be more than forty-three, or forty-fouryears of age. Crummles is not a Prussian, having been born atChelsea." Humph!' said Nicholas, 'that's an odd paragraph.''Very,' returned Crummles, scratching the side of his nose, andlooking at Nicholas with an assumption of great unconcern. 'I can'tthink who puts these things in. I didn't.'Still keeping his eye on Nicholas, Mr Crummles shook his head twiceor thrice with profound gravity, and remarking, that he could notfor the life of him imagine how the newspapers found out the thingsthey did, folded up the extracts and put them in his pocket again.'I am astonished to hear this news,' said Nicholas. 'Going toAmerica! You had no such thing in contemplation when I was withyou.''No,' replied Crummles, 'I hadn't then. The fact is that MrsCrummles--most extraordinary woman, Johnson.' Here he broke off andwhispered something in his ear.'Oh!' said Nicholas, smiling. 'The prospect of an addition to yourfamily?''The seventh addition, Johnson,' returned Mr Crummles, solemnly. 'Ithought such a child as the Phenomenon must have been a closer; butit seems we are to have another. She is a very remarkable woman.''I congratulate you,' said Nicholas, 'and I hope this may prove aphenomenon too.''Why, it's pretty sure to be something uncommon, I suppose,'rejoined Mr Crummles. 'The talent of the other three is principallyin combat and serious pantomime. I should like this one to have aturn for juvenile tragedy; I understand they want something of thatsort in America very much. However, we must take it as it comes.Perhaps it may have a genius for the tight-rope. It may have anysort of genius, in short, if it takes after its mother, Johnson, forshe is an universal genius; but, whatever its genius is, that geniusshall be developed.'Expressing himself after these terms, Mr Crummles put on his othereyebrow, and the calves of his legs, and then put on his legs, whichwere of a yellowish flesh-colour, and rather soiled about the knees,from frequent going down upon those joints, in curses, prayers, laststruggles, and other strong passages.While the ex-manager completed his toilet, he informed Nicholas thatas he should have a fair start in America from the proceeds of atolerably good engagement which he had been fortunate enough toobtain, and as he and Mrs Crummles could scarcely hope to act forever (not being immortal, except in the breath of Fame and in afigurative sense) he had made up his mind to settle therepermanently, in the hope of acquiring some land of his own whichwould support them in their old age, and which they could afterwardsbequeath to their children. Nicholas, having highly commended theresolution, Mr Crummles went on to impart such further intelligencerelative to their mutual friends as he thought might proveinteresting; informing Nicholas, among other things, that MissSnevellicci was happily married to an affluent young wax-chandlerwho had supplied the theatre with candles, and that Mr Lillyvickdidn't dare to say his soul was his own, such was the tyrannicalsway of Mrs Lillyvick, who reigned paramount and supreme.Nicholas responded to this confidence on the part of Mr Crummles, byconfiding to him his own name, situation, and prospects, andinforming him, in as few general words as he could, of thecircumstances which had led to their first acquaintance. Aftercongratulating him with great heartiness on the improved state ofhis fortunes, Mr Crummles gave him to understand that next morninghe and his were to start for Liverpool, where the vessel lay whichwas to carry them from the shores of England, and that if Nicholaswished to take a last adieu of Mrs Crummles, he must repair with himthat night to a farewell supper, given in honour of the family at aneighbouring tavern; at which Mr Snittle Timberry would preside,while the honours of the vice-chair would be sustained by theAfrican Swallower.The room being by this time very warm and somewhat crowded, inconsequence of the influx of four gentlemen, who had just killedeach other in the piece under representation, Nicholas accepted theinvitation, and promised to return at the conclusion of theperformances; preferring the cool air and twilight out of doors tothe mingled perfume of gas, orange-peel, and gunpowder, whichpervaded the hot and glaring theatre.He availed himself of this interval to buy a silver snuff-box--thebest his funds would afford--as a token of remembrance for MrCrummles, and having purchased besides a pair of ear-rings for MrsCrummles, a necklace for the Phenomenon, and a flaming shirt-pin foreach of the young gentlemen, he refreshed himself with a walk, andreturning a little after the appointed time, found the lights out,the theatre empty, the curtain raised for the night, and Mr Crummleswalking up and down the stage expecting his arrival.'Timberry won't be long,' said Mr Crummles. 'He played the audienceout tonight. He does a faithful black in the last piece, and ittakes him a little longer to wash himself.''A very unpleasant line of character, I should think?' saidNicholas.'No, I don't know,' replied Mr Crummles; 'it comes off easilyenough, and there's only the face and neck. We had a first-tragedyman in our company once, who, when he played Othello, used to blackhimself all over. But that's feeling a part and going into it as ifyou meant it; it isn't usual; more's the pity.'Mr Snittle Timberry now appeared, arm-in-arm with the AfricanSwallower, and, being introduced to Nicholas, raised his hat half afoot, and said he was proud to know him. The Swallower said thesame, and looked and spoke remarkably like an Irishman.'I see by the bills that you have been ill, sir,' said Nicholas toMr Timberry. 'I hope you are none the worse for your exertionstonight?'Mr Timberry, in reply, shook his head with a gloomy air, tapped hischest several times with great significancy, and drawing his cloakmore closely about him, said, 'But no matter, no matter. Come!'It is observable that when people upon the stage are in any straitinvolving the very last extremity of weakness and exhaustion, theyinvariably perform feats of strength requiring great ingenuity andmuscular power. Thus, a wounded prince or bandit chief, who isbleeding to death and too faint to move, except to the softest music(and then only upon his hands and knees), shall be seen to approacha cottage door for aid in such a series of writhings and twistings,and with such curlings up of the legs, and such rollings over andover, and such gettings up and tumblings down again, as could neverbe achieved save by a very strong man skilled in posture-making.And so natural did this sort of performance come to Mr SnittleTimberry, that on their way out of the theatre and towards thetavern where the supper was to be holden, he testified the severityof his recent indisposition and its wasting effects upon the nervoussystem, by a series of gymnastic performances which were theadmiration of all witnesses.'Why this is indeed a joy I had not looked for!' said Mrs Crummles,when Nicholas was presented.'Nor I,' replied Nicholas. 'It is by a mere chance that I have thisopportunity of seeing you, although I would have made a greatexertion to have availed myself of it.''Here is one whom you know,' said Mrs Crummles, thrusting forwardthe Phenomenon in a blue gauze frock, extensively flounced, andtrousers of the same; 'and here another--and another,' presentingthe Master Crummleses. 'And how is your friend, the faithfulDigby?''Digby!' said Nicholas, forgetting at the instant that this had beenSmike's theatrical name. 'Oh yes. He's quite--what am I saying?--he is very far from well.''How!' exclaimed Mrs Crummles, with a tragic recoil.'I fear,' said Nicholas, shaking his head, and making an attempt tosmile, 'that your better-half would be more struck with him now thanever.''What mean you?' rejoined Mrs Crummles, in her most popular manner.'Whence comes this altered tone?''I mean that a dastardly enemy of mine has struck at me through him,and that while he thinks to torture me, he inflicts on him suchagonies of terror and suspense as--You will excuse me, I am sure,'said Nicholas, checking himself. 'I should never speak of this, andnever do, except to those who know the facts, but for a moment Iforgot myself.'With this hasty apology Nicholas stooped down to salute thePhenomenon, and changed the subject; inwardly cursing hisprecipitation, and very much wondering what Mrs Crummles must thinkof so sudden an explosion.That lady seemed to think very little about it, for the supper beingby this time on table, she gave her hand to Nicholas and repairedwith a stately step to the left hand of Mr Snittle Timberry.Nicholas had the honour to support her, and Mr Crummles was placedupon the chairman's right; the Phenomenon and the Master Crummlesessustained the vice.The company amounted in number to some twenty-five or thirty, beingcomposed of such members of the theatrical profession, then engagedor disengaged in London, as were numbered among the most intimatefriends of Mr and Mrs Crummles. The ladies and gentlemen werepretty equally balanced; the expenses of the entertainment beingdefrayed by the latter, each of whom had the privilege of invitingone of the former as his guest.It was upon the whole a very distinguished party, for independentlyof the lesser theatrical lights who clustered on this occasion roundMr Snittle Timberry, there was a literary gentleman present who haddramatised in his time two hundred and forty-seven novels as fast asthey had come out--some of them faster than they had come out--andwho was a literary gentleman in consequence.This gentleman sat on the left hand of Nicholas, to whom he wasintroduced by his friend the African Swallower, from the bottom ofthe table, with a high eulogium upon his fame and reputation.'I am happy to know a gentleman of such great distinction,' saidNicholas, politely.'Sir,' replied the wit, 'you're very welcome, I'm sure. The honouris reciprocal, sir, as I usually say when I dramatise a book. Didyou ever hear a definition of fame, sir?''I have heard several,' replied Nicholas, with a smile. 'What isyours?''When I dramatise a book, sir,' said the literary gentleman, 'that'sfame. For its author.''Oh, indeed!' rejoined Nicholas.'That's fame, sir,' said the literary gentleman.'So Richard Turpin, Tom King, and Jerry Abershaw have handed down tofame the names of those on whom they committed their most impudentrobberies?' said Nicholas.'I don't know anything about that, sir,' answered the literarygentleman.'Shakespeare dramatised stories which had previously appeared inprint, it is true,' observed Nicholas.'Meaning Bill, sir?' said the literary gentleman. 'So he did. Billwas an adapter, certainly, so he was--and very well he adapted too--considering.''I was about to say,' rejoined Nicholas, 'that Shakespeare derivedsome of his plots from old tales and legends in general circulation;but it seems to me, that some of the gentlemen of your craft, at thepresent day, have shot very far beyond him--''You're quite right, sir,' interrupted the literary gentleman,leaning back in his chair and exercising his toothpick. 'Humanintellect, sir, has progressed since his time, is progressing, willprogress.''Shot beyond him, I mean,' resumed Nicholas, 'in quite anotherrespect, for, whereas he brought within the magic circle of hisgenius, traditions peculiarly adapted for his purpose, and turnedfamiliar things into constellations which should enlighten the worldfor ages, you drag within the magic circle of your dulness, subjectsnot at all adapted to the purposes of the stage, and debase as heexalted. For instance, you take the uncompleted books of livingauthors, fresh from their hands, wet from the press, cut, hack, andcarve them to the powers and capacities of your actors, and thecapability of your theatres, finish unfinished works, hastily andcrudely vamp up ideas not yet worked out by their originalprojector, but which have doubtless cost him many thoughtful daysand sleepless nights; by a comparison of incidents and dialogue,down to the very last word he may have written a fortnight before,do your utmost to anticipate his plot--all this without hispermission, and against his will; and then, to crown the wholeproceeding, publish in some mean pamphlet, an unmeaning farrago ofgarbled extracts from his work, to which your name as author, withthe honourable distinction annexed, of having perpetrated a hundredother outrages of the same description. Now, show me thedistinction between such pilfering as this, and picking a man'spocket in the street: unless, indeed, it be, that the legislaturehas a regard for pocket-handkerchiefs, and leaves men's brains,except when they are knocked out by violence, to take care ofthemselves.''Men must live, sir,' said the literary gentleman, shrugging hisshoulders.'That would be an equally fair plea in both cases,' repliedNicholas; 'but if you put it upon that ground, I have nothing moreto say, than, that if I were a writer of books, and you a thirstydramatist, I would rather pay your tavern score for six months,large as it might be, than have a niche in the Temple of Fame withyou for the humblest corner of my pedestal, through six hundredgenerations.'The conversation threatened to take a somewhat angry tone when ithad arrived thus far, but Mrs Crummles opportunely interposed toprevent its leading to any violent outbreak, by making someinquiries of the literary gentleman relative to the plots of the sixnew pieces which he had written by contract to introduce the AfricanKnife-swallower in his various unrivalled performances. Thisspeedily engaged him in an animated conversation with that lady, inthe interest of which, all recollection of his recent discussionwith Nicholas very quickly evaporated.The board being now clear of the more substantial articles of food,and punch, wine, and spirits being placed upon it and handed about,the guests, who had been previously conversing in little groups ofthree or four, gradually fell off into a dead silence, while themajority of those present glanced from time to time at Mr SnittleTimberry, and the bolder spirits did not even hesitate to strike thetable with their knuckles, and plainly intimate their expectations,by uttering such encouragements as 'Now, Tim,' 'Wake up, MrChairman,' 'All charged, sir, and waiting for a toast,' and soforth.To these remonstrances Mr Timberry deigned no other rejoinder thanstriking his chest and gasping for breath, and giving many otherindications of being still the victim of indisposition--for a manmust not make himself too cheap either on the stage or off--while MrCrummles, who knew full well that he would be the subject of theforthcoming toast, sat gracefully in his chair with his arm throwncarelessly over the back, and now and then lifted his glass to hismouth and drank a little punch, with the same air with which he wasaccustomed to take long draughts of nothing, out of the pasteboardgoblets in banquet scenes.At length Mr Snittle Timberry rose in the most approved attitude,with one hand in the breast of his waistcoat and the other on thenearest snuff-box, and having been received with great enthusiasm,proposed, with abundance of quotations, his friend Mr VincentCrummles: ending a pretty long speech by extending his right hand onone side and his left on the other, and severally calling upon Mrand Mrs Crummles to grasp the same. This done, Mr Vincent Crummlesreturned thanks, and that done, the African Swallower proposed MrsVincent Crummles, in affecting terms. Then were heard loud moansand sobs from Mrs Crummles and the ladies, despite of which thatheroic woman insisted upon returning thanks herself, which she did,in a manner and in a speech which has never been surpassed andseldom equalled. It then became the duty of Mr Snittle Timberry togive the young Crummleses, which he did; after which Mr VincentCrummles, as their father, addressed the company in a supplementaryspeech, enlarging on their virtues, amiabilities, and excellences,and wishing that they were the sons and daughter of every lady andgentleman present. These solemnities having been succeeded by adecent interval, enlivened by musical and other entertainments, MrCrummles proposed that ornament of the profession, the AfricanSwallower, his very dear friend, if he would allow him to call himso; which liberty (there being no particular reason why he shouldnot allow it) the African Swallower graciously permitted. Theliterary gentleman was then about to be drunk, but it beingdiscovered that he had been drunk for some time in anotheracceptation of the term, and was then asleep on the stairs, theintention was abandoned, and the honour transferred to the ladies.Finally, after a very long sitting, Mr Snittle Timberry vacated thechair, and the company with many adieux and embraces dispersed.Nicholas waited to the last to give his little presents. When hehad said goodbye all round and came to Mr Crummles, he could not butmark the difference between their present separation and theirparting at Portsmouth. Not a jot of his theatrical manner remained;he put out his hand with an air which, if he could have summoned itat will, would have made him the best actor of his day in homelyparts, and when Nicholas shook it with the warmth he honestly felt,appeared thoroughly melted.'We were a very happy little company, Johnson,' said poor Crummles.'You and I never had a word. I shall be very glad tomorrow morningto think that I saw you again, but now I almost wish you hadn'tcome.'Nicholas was about to return a cheerful reply, when he was greatlydisconcerted by the sudden apparition of Mrs Grudden, who it seemedhad declined to attend the supper in order that she might riseearlier in the morning, and who now burst out of an adjoiningbedroom, habited in very extraordinary white robes; and throwing herarms about his neck, hugged him with great affection.'What! Are you going too?' said Nicholas, submitting with as good agrace as if she had been the finest young creature in the world.'Going?' returned Mrs Grudden. 'Lord ha' mercy, what do you thinkthey'd do without me?'Nicholas submitted to another hug with even a better grace thanbefore, if that were possible, and waving his hat as cheerfully ashe could, took farewell of the Vincent Crummleses.