Elephant Man - Christine Sparks [114]
The comedy was followed by a ballet sequence, which seemed to have little to do with the story, but filled the stage with pretty girls moving gracefully. Merrick watched entranced, and when the curtain descended he continued to sit in a happy dream. Treves moved farther out to the side of the box, wanting to reassure himself that the Elephant Man was safely concealed where he sat. When he was easy in his mind he continued to stand there, exchanging pleasant remarks with Nora and Mothershead, who were also, in their different ways, in the seventh heaven of delight.
The audience below passed before his eyes like a huge tapestry. The royal box was on the lowest tier, just above the stalls, and from where he stood Treves could see individuals clearly. One in particular caught his eye. He was a young man, about the same age as Merrick, apparently about to expire from boredom. His slim, good-looking form was stretched negligently in his seat and it seemed that only with the greatest difficulty was he prevailed upon to address a word or two to his companions. Now and then a yawn distorted his handsome face, as if he had not slept for nights, and all dissipation was the same to him.
Treves turned his gaze back toward Merrick, who had come out of his happy reverie and was now engaged in an animated three-way conversation with the Princess and Mrs. Kendal. Once he said something that Treves did not catch, but it made both ladies laugh immoderately, and Treves just heard the Princess say, “That is an aspect that had never struck me before, Mr. Merrick …”
At that moment Merrick lifted his head and caught Treves looking at him. A glance passed between them and Treves thought that never in his life had he seen a man whose eyes blazed with happiness as Merrick’s did. He wondered if it was better to be the man in the stalls, smiled on by fortune till his senses dulled and he cared for nothing, or a creature like Merrick, who felt every joy, every tiny pleasure, a thousand times over? At that moment he could not have said.
The pantomime resumed. Puss went to dine with the ogre who owned a nearby castle, tricked the ogre into turning himself into a mouse, and promptly seized him in his mouth. When he spat him out, the ogre had changed into a frail old man and the stage set had been transformed into a dungeon. The old man was safely incarcerated in the dungeon and the way was clear for Puss to declare his master owner of the castle, and for the young master to marry the beautiful Princess. Puss came down to the footlights to address the audience directly. While the eyes of everyone in the box were fixed on him Mrs. Kendal rose and slipped quietly out.
Puss in Boots bowed elegantly, and spoke with a flourish.
“Now at last has come the joyous day,
For Clever Puss was all allowed to have his way.
And if I’ve had my way with you,
Then from your hands I claim my due.”
The audience responded and the air was loud with applause. The cast congregated to take their bows, there was curtseying, smiles, and much delivering of bouquets to actresses who put up a good show of being surprised. Then, just as the applause was beginning to die down, everyone ranged along the front of the stage turned expectantly toward one of the wings, and in another moment Mrs. Kendal had swept onto the stage. She waited a moment while the renewed clapping crashed over them, then raised her hand to gesture for the audience to quiet down.
“Thank you for your warm greeting,” she said when she had their complete attention. “Ladies and gentlemen,