Without a word, he proceeded to pull out much of her hair and otherwise
to disfigure her permanently, which, as she was a vain woman, made her
miserable the rest of her days. Then he disappeared, and has not been heard
of since. It seems strange the thing never got into the newspapers. By
the way, you won't print this story, my boy, until she or I leave the
profession."
"Why not? Are you the only man who knows it?"
"No; it was general gossip in the profession at that time."
"How did you get it so straight?"
"She told me. I knew her well in those days. Oh, use the story if you like,
only don't credit it to me. She's very mad because I made a hit to-night
and she didn't."
"But what was the name of her husband?"
"Poor devil!--his name was--what was it, anyhow? By Jove, I can't think
of it! It'll come back to me, though, and I'll let you know later. He had
literary aspirations, by the way. She used to laugh at the poetry he had
written about her. Poor boy!"
The next night, radical changes having been effected in the burlesque, the
prima donna made a more creditable showing. I happened to be at the stage
door again when she came out with her maid after the performance, as I had
under my guidance one of the newspaper's artists, who had been making some
sketches of life behind the scenes.
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