Page:"A modern Hercules", the tale of a sculptress (IA amodernherculest00wins).pdf/69

Rh was playing Falstaff in 'The Merry Wives of Windsor.' He was of ordinary size, but made himself up as the 'huge hell of flesh,' by a rubber apparatus, which was nightly filled with air. This night the cork came out which held the air in the rubber affair, and almost in the twinkling of an eye, he dwindled to his normal size, while his clothing hung about him like the folds of a collapsed balloon. The audience broke into a roar. The curtain was rung down, and it was fully fifteen minutes before order was sufficiently restored to allow the performance to proceed. Next day Demas was found dead in his apartments, a bullet wound in the temple. The press said it was chagrin. The real truth was that Ouida had led him on and on, until he thought she loved him. That night the fatal knowledge came to him that she was a heartless jilt, and he simply took the pistol route, with which to end his misery."

"Gentlemen," said Connors, "you astonish me. I have heard of such creatures as you paint this woman, but never before had the distinguished honor of a personal acquaintance. I do believe that a grain or two of discount on such stuff would be wise and just to her."

"And yet," said Wayland, "what a following she has, despite all this. Go into the ball room, and see New York at her feet."

"New York is the greatest city in the world," said Doane, "yet it is the mustmost [sic] easily duped."

"People, in their wild desire to be entertained," said Connors, "pick and choose queer idols for worship."

At this juncture, unobserved, Ouida, accompanied by Paul, enter at the rear, but are partially concealed by large and rich portieres. Ouida had been searching for