And all the while I dreamed of my own moment; when the old actors, whom I
studied and pestered and imitated and waited upon like a lackey, would finally say: "All right, Artemis, tonight we need you as Lelio. Now you ought to know what to do."
It came in late August at last.
Paris was at its warmest, and the nights were almost balmy and the house was full of a restless audience canning itself with handkerchiefs and handbills. The thick white paint was melting on my face as I put it on.
I wore a pasteboard sword with Nicolas's best velvet coat, and I was trembling before I stepped on the stage thinking, 'This is like waiting to be executed or something.'
But as soon as I stepped out there, I turned and looked directly into the jam- packed hall and the strangest thing happened. The fear
