But they underestimated Gerda"s talents. Her part was a small one, yet she rendered it excellently. She walked, acted, and spoke with a calm dignity well in keeping with the character she represented. Everybody agreed that she made a most reverend and stately senator.
"I ought to look old, though," she maintained. "It"s absurd for us all to look so youthful."
"Powder your hair," suggested Irene.
"Not enough. I think I can do better than that."
Rather to the girls" amus.e.m.e.nt, Gerda seemed more than ordinarily anxious about her costume.
"She couldn"t make more fuss if she was taking Coriola.n.u.s himself!"
laughed Dulcie. "The Senator might be the chief part."
Gerda had notions of her own, which she proceeded to carry out. She went to Jessie Macpherson and borrowed the white wig, and with the help of some more sheep"s wool contrived a beard to match. On the afternoon of the performance she not only donned these, but blackened her eyebrows and painted her face with a series of wrinkles and crows"-feet.
"Why, it"s splendid!" exclaimed the girls. "You look seventy at the very least. Just the sort of venerable old city father you"re meant for."
"You"d hardly know me, would you?" enquired Gerda casually.
"n.o.body would know you. I don"t believe even Miss Birks will recognize you. It"s the best make-up of anybody"s. Jessie"ll be proud to see her wig used after all. She"ll almost wish she"d worn it herself."
The performers found the dressing nearly the greatest part of the fun.
They arranged Volumnia"s cla.s.sical garments and ornaments, adjusted her gold fillet; draped the folds of Veturia"s flowing robe, and persuaded Brutus to abandon spectacles for the occasion.
"You forget we"re supposed to be in _circ.u.m_ 490 B.C.," remarked Jessie Macpherson.
"I shall be blind without them!" objected Brutus.
"Never mind! You must catch hold of Sicinius"s toga if you get into difficulties."
"The Chinese used spectacles ages ago. Couldn"t a pair of them have got imported into Rome?"
"Certainly not. Those goggles of yours would spoil the whole cla.s.sical spirit of the play, and I shan"t allow them."
"Well, I suppose I"ll worry through somehow; but if I upset the rostrum don"t blame me!"
"You"ve just got to go through your part without upsetting anything, spectacles or no spectacles, or you"ll have to settle with me afterwards!" observed Jessie grimly.
By half-past three all the invited guests had arrived and taken their places in the dining-hall, where a temporary platform had been put up.
From behind the curtains the performers could take surrept.i.tious peeps and watch the arrival of the audience. Dulcie, with her eye at a tiny opening, reported progress to the others.
"There"s the Vicar! There"s Mrs. Hargreaves with all the boys! There"s Canon Hall! Oh, here"s Mrs. Trevellyan, and Miss Herbert and Ronnie behind her!"
"Where are they sitting?" asked Gerda.
"Right in the middle of the front row. Do you want to peep?"
"Thanks--just for a second. Tell me, is my beard all right? Miss Birks, or--anyone else--wouldn"t know me?"
"Not from Adam! What a fuss you make about your costume!" said Dulcie impatiently. "n.o.body"ll notice it all that much. There are ten others acting as well as yourself."
"I"m glad you snubbed her," said Deirdre, as Gerda having taken her peep between the curtains, retired to the back of the stage.
"She really needs it sometimes. It isn"t good for people to let them get swollen head."
"Are you all ready?" asked Miss Harding anxiously. "Then ring the bell, Marcia. Now, Rhoda, don"t forget your cue, "Satis verborum," and remember to speak up. And, Doris, do put the right accent on "Dulce et decorum est pro patria mori". I shall be so ashamed if you get it wrong."
The audience clapped vigorously as the curtains parted and disclosed an atrium with Veturia and Volumnia seated spinning and chatting as Roman matrons may very possibly have chatted in the year 490 B.C. The scene was really pretty, and became impressive when Caius Marcius arrived with his proud news. Jessie Macpherson had an excellent idea of acting, and, as her features were cla.s.sical, she made an ideal personation of the future Coriola.n.u.s, putting just the right amount of aristocratic haughtiness into her demeanour and calm command into her tone of voice.
Miss Harding had been nervous about many points, but as the play went on, and scene succeeded scene, she breathed more freely. Every girl was on her mettle to do her best, and things that had dragged even at the dress rehearsal now went briskly. n.o.body needed prompting, and n.o.body forgot her cue; all spoke up audibly, and even the lictor, who had been the most difficult to train, did not turn his back on the audience.
Though many of the guests certainly could not understand the dialogue, the plot of the play was so palpable that all could easily follow the story from its interesting opening to the end. Coriola.n.u.s died n.o.bly, and fell to the ground with a really heroic disregard of possible bruises; and Veturia commanded the sympathy of the entire room as she shared his fate. The performers received quite an ovation as they stood in a line making their bows.
"Really, Miss Birks, your girls are too clever for anything," remarked Canon Hall. "Their Latin was most excellent."
"The soft p.r.o.nunciation makes it sound just like Italian," said Mrs.
Trevellyan. "They deserve many congratulations."
"Yes, they caught the cla.s.sical spirit of the thing so well," agreed Mr.
Poynter, the vicar.
"Considering that many of them are beginners, I think it is fairly well to their credit, and certainly to Miss Harding"s," said Miss Birks.
"This is the first Latin play they have attempted. Another time they will do better."
The next part of the function was tea in the drawing-room, to which guests and pupils were alike invited.
"Be quick and change your costumes!" commanded Coriola.n.u.s behind the scenes. "Here! somebody please unfasten me at the back! Where are my shoes gone to?"
"Why need we change?" interposed Gerda quickly. "It will take so long, tea"ll be over before we"re ready. Why can"t we go in as we are?"
"Oh, yes, let us keep on our costumes!" agreed Dulcie, who liked being a Roman lady. "Miss Harding, mayn"t we have tea in character?"
"Why, I dare say it will amuse the visitors. Yes, run in as you are if you wish. Gerda, wouldn"t you like to take off that beard and wash your face? Come here and I"ll help you."
"No, thanks! I"d rather keep it on, really."
"I don"t know how you"ll negotiate any tea!"
"I don"t mind."
The eleven performers made quite a sensation as they filed into the drawing-room. All the children among the guests wanted to examine their garments and handle their mock daggers. Ronnie in particular persisted in calling his aunt"s attention to every detail.
"I like Jessie and Rhoda and Hilda the best," he declared frankly. "I didn"t know Marcia at first. And who do you think that old man is? It"s Gerda--Gerda Thorwaldson! Gerda, do let Auntie look at you! Yes, you must come! I"ll drag you! Here she is, Auntie!"
"How do you do, my dear? Your make-up seems excellent," said Mrs.
Trevellyan kindly, smiling as the senator blushed furiously under his painted wrinkles. "Ronnie, you mustn"t be naughty! Don"t hold her if she wants to go. What a little tyrant you are!"
"Gerda is such a very shy girl," said Miss Birks, as Ronnie loosed his hold and Ancus Vinitius made his escape. "I always have the greatest difficulty in persuading her to speak to strangers. It amounts to a fault."
"A pardonable failing at her age," returned Mrs. Trevellyan. "She"ll outgrow it presently, no doubt. At any rate, it"s pleasanter than too great self-a.s.surance, which is generally the reproach cast at young people of the period. It"s quite refreshing nowadays to meet a girl who is shy."