han you have ever worked before! The crowd will come to know you, word will spread. You must be patient. Soon they will be buying tickets just for you!'' At that I saw the manager glance his way through narrowed eyes; but Kitty, at least, allowed herself to smile. ''That''s better,'' said Mr Bliss then. ''And now, if you''ll permit me, ladies, I believe a light little supper would be welcome. A light little supper - and, perhaps, a heavy large glass with some of that fizz in it, Miss Butler, that you seem so keen on.''
The restaurant to which he took us was a theatre people''s one, not very far away, and filled with gentlemen in fancy waistcoats just like himself, and with girls and boys like Kitty, with streaks of greasepaint on their cuffs and crumbs of spit-black in the corners of their eyes. He seemed to have a friend at every table, every one of whom saluted him as he passed by; but he did not pause to chat with them, only waved his hat in general greeting, then led us to an empty booth and called to a waiter for a recitation of the bill of fare. When this was done, and we had made our choices, he beckoned the man a little closer and murmured something to him; the waiter withdrew, and returned a minute later with a champagne bottle, which Mr Bliss proceeded ostentatiously to uncork. At that, there was a cheering at the other tables; and a woman began to sing, amidst much laughter and applause, that she wouldn''t call for sherry, and she wouldn''t call for beer, and she wouldn''t call for cham because she knew ''twould make her queer . . .