to　the　mountains　where　she　was　born；　and　where　her
  Circassian　lover　is　still　deploring　the　absence　of　his　Zuleikah。
  No　entreaties　will　move　the　obdurate　Hassan。　　He
  laughs　at　the　notion　of　the　Circassian　bridegroom。
  Zuleikah　covers　her　face　with　her　hands　and　drops　down　in
  an　attitude　of　the　most　beautiful　despair。　　There　seems　to
  be　no　hope　for　her；　whenwhen　the　Kislar　Aga　appears。
  The　Kislar　Aga　brings　a　letter　from　the　Sultan。　　Hassan
  receives　and　places　on　his　head　the　dread　firman。　　A
  ghastly　terror　seizes　him；　while　on　the　Negro's　face　（it　is
  Mesrour　again　in　another　costume）　appears　a　ghastly
  joy。　　〃Mercy！　　mercy！〃　cries　the　Pasha：　　while　the　Kislar
  Aga；　grinning　horribly；　pulls　outa　bow…string。
  The　curtain　draws　just　as　he　is　going　to　use　that　awful
  weapon。　　Hassan　from　within　bawls　out；　〃First　two
  syllables〃and　Mrs。　Rawdon　Crawley；　who　is　going　to　act　in
  the　charade；　comes　forward　and　compliments　Mrs。
  Winkworth　on　the　admirable　taste　and　beauty　of　her
  costume。
  The　second　part　of　the　charade　takes　place。　　It　is　still
  an　Eastern　scene。　　Hassan；　in　another　dress；　is　in　an
  attitude　by　Zuleikah；　who　is　perfectly　reconciled　to　him。
  The　Kislar　Aga　has　become　a　peaceful　black　slave。　　It　is
  sunrise　on　the　desert；　and　the　Turks　turn　their　heads
  eastwards　and　bow　to　the　sand。　　As　there　are　no　dromedaries
  at　hand；　the　band　facetiously　plays　〃The　Camels
  are　coming。〃　An　enormous　Egyptian　head　figures　in　the
  scene。　　It　is　a　musical　oneand；　to　the　surprise　of　the
  oriental　travellers；　sings　a　comic　song；　composed　by　Mr。
  Wagg。　　The　Eastern　voyagers　go　off　dancing；　like
  Papageno　and　the　Moorish　King　in　The　Magic　Flute。　　〃Last
  two　syllables；〃　roars　the　head。
  The　last　act　opens。　　It　is　a　Grecian　tent　this　time。　　A
  tall　and　stalwart　man　reposes　on　a　couch　there。　　Above
  him　hang　his　helmet　and　shield。　　There　is　no　need　for
  them　now。　　Ilium　is　down。　　Iphigenia　is　slain。　　Cassandra　is
  a　prisoner　in　his　outer　halls。　　The　king　of　men　（it　is
  Colonel　Crawley；　who；　indeed；　has　no　notion　about　the　sack
  of　Ilium　or　the　conquest　of　Cassandra）；　the　anax　andron
  is　asleep　in　his　chamber　at　Argos。　　A　lamp　casts　the
  broad　shadow　of　the　sleeping　warrior　flickering　on　the
  wallthe　sword　and　shield　of　Troy　glitter　in　its　light。
  The　band　plays　the　awful　music　of　Don　Juan；　before　the
  statue　enters。
  Aegisthus　steals　in　pale　and　on　tiptoe。　　What　is　that
  ghastly　face　looking　out　balefully　after　him　from　behind
  the　arras？　He　raises　his　dagger　to　strike　the　sleeper；　who
  turns　in　his　bed；　and　opens　his　broad　chest　as　if　for　the
  blow。　　He　cannot　strike　the　noble　slumbering　chieftain。
  Clytemnestra　glides　swiftly　into　the　room　like　an
  apparitionher　arms　are　bare　and　whiteher　tawny　hair
  floats　down　her　shouldersher　face　is　deadly　paleand
  her　eyes　are　lighted　up　with　a　smile　so　ghastly　that
  people　quake　as　they　look　at　her。
  A　tremor　ran　through　the　room。　　〃Good　God！〃　somebody
  said；　〃it's　Mrs。　Rawdon　Crawley。〃
  Scornfully　she　snatches　the　dagger　out　of　Aegisthus's
  hand　and　advances　to　the　bed。　　You　see　it　shining　over
  her　head　in　the　glimmer　of　the　lamp；　andand　the　lamp
  goes　out；　with　a　groan；　and　all　is　dark。
  The　darkness　and　the　scene　frightened　people。　　Rebecca
  performed　her　part　so　well；　and　with　such　ghastly
  truth；　that　the　spectators　were　all　dumb；　until；　with　a
  burst；　all　the　lamps　of　the　hall　blazed　out　again；　when
  everybody　began　to　shout　applause。　　〃Brava！　　brava！〃　old
  Steyne's　strident　voice　was　heard　roaring　over　all　the
  rest。　　〃By；　she'd　do　it　too；〃　he　said　between　his　teeth。
  The　performers　were　called　by　the　whole　house；　which
  sounded　with　cries　of　〃Manager！　　Clytemnestra！〃
  Agamemnon　could　not　be　got　to　show　in　his　classical
  tunic；　but　stood　in　the　background　with　Aegisthus　and
  others　of　the　performers　of　the　little　play。　　Mr。　Bedwin
  Sands　led　on　Zuleikah　and　Clytemnestra。　　A　great
  personage　insisted　on　being　presented　to　the　charming
  Clytemnestra。　　〃Heigh　ha？　Run　him　through　the　body。
  Marry　somebody　else；　hay？〃　was　the　apposite　remark
  made　by　His　Royal　Highness。
  〃Mrs。　Rawdon　Crawley　was　quite　killing　in　the　part；〃
  said　Lord　Steyne。　　Becky　laughed；　gay　and　saucy　looking；
  and　swept　the　prettiest　little　curtsey　ever　seen。
  Servants　brought　in　salvers　covered　with　numerous　cool
  dainties；　and　the　performers　disappeared　to　get　ready
  for　the　second　charade…tableau。
  The　three　syllables　of　this　charade　were　to　be　depicted
  in　pantomime；　and　the　performance　took　place　in　the
  following　wise：
  First　syllable。　　Colonel　Rawdon　Crawley；　C。B。；　with　a
  slouched　hat　and　a　staff；　a　great…coat；　and　a　lantern
  borrowed　from　the　stables；　passed　across　the　stage　bawling
  out；　as　if　warning　the　inhabitants　of　the　hour。　　In　the
  lower　window　are　seen　two　bagmen　playing　apparently
  at　the　game　of　cribbage；　over　which　they　yawn　much。
  To　them　enters　one　looking　like　Boots　（the　Honourable
  G。　　Ringwood）；　which　character　the　young　gentleman
  performed　to　perfection；　and　divests　them　of　their　lower
  coverings；　and　presently　Chambermaid　（the　Right
  Honourable　Lord　Southdown）　with　two　candlesticks；　and　a
  warming…pan。　　She　ascends　to　the　upper　apartment　and
  warms　the　bed。　　She　uses　the　warming…pan　as　a　weapon
  wherewith　she　wards　off　the　attention　of　the　bagmen。
  She　exits。　　They　put　on　their　night…caps　and　pull　down
  the　blinds。　　Boots　comes　out　and　closes　the　shutters　of
  the　ground…floor　chamber。　　You　hear　him　bolting　and
  chaining　the　door　within。　　All　the　lights　go　out。　　The　music
  plays　Dormez；　dormez；　chers　Amours。　　A　voice　from
  behind　the　curtain　says；　〃First　syllable。〃
  Second　syllable。　　The　lamps　are　lighted　up　all　of　a
  sudden。　　The　music　plays　the　old　air　from　John　of　Paris；
  Ah　quel　plaisir　d'etre　en　voyage。　　It　is　the　same　scene。
  Between　the　first　and　second　floors　of　the　house
  represented；　you　behold　a　sign　on　which　the　Steyne　arms
  are　painted。　　All　the　bells　are　ringing　all　over　the　house。
  In　the　lower　apartment　you　see　a　man　with　a　long　slip　of
  paper　presenting　it　to　another；　who　shakes　his　fists；
  threatens　and　vows　that　it　is　monstrous。　　〃Ostler；　bring
  round　my　gig；〃　cries　another　at　the　door。　　He　chucks
  Chambermaid　（the　Right　Honourable　Lord　Southdown）
  under　the　chin；　she　seems　to　deplore　his　absence；　as
  Calypso　did　that　of　that　other　eminent　traveller　Ulysses。
  Boots　（the　Honourable　G。　　Ringwood）　passes　with　a
  wooden　box；　containing　silver　flagons；　and　cries　〃Pots〃
  with　such　exquisite　humour　and　naturalness　that　the
  whole　house　rings　with　applause；　and　a　bouquet　is　thrown
  to　him。　　Crack；　crack；　crack；　go　the　whips。　　　Landlord；
  chambermaid；　waiter　rush　to　the　door；　but　just　as　some
  distinguished　guest　is　arriving；　the　curtains　close；　and　the
  invisible　theatrical　manager　cries　out　〃Second　syllable。〃
  〃I　think　it　must　be　'Hotel；'　〃　says　Captain　Grigg　of　the
  Life　Guards；　there　is　a　general　laugh　at　the　Captain's
  cleverness。　　He　is　not　very　far　from　the　mark。
  While　the　third　syllable　is　in　preparation；　the　band
  begins　a　nautical　medley〃All　in　the　Downs；〃　〃Cease　Rude
  Boreas；〃　〃Rule　Britannia；〃　〃In　the　Bay　of　Biscay　O！〃
  some　maritime　event　is　about　to　take　place。　　A　ben　is
  heard　ringing　as　the　curtain　draws　aside。　　〃Now；　gents；
  for　the　shore！〃　a　voice　exclaims。　　People　take　leave　of
  each　other。　　They　point　anxiously　as　if　towards　the　clouds；
  which　are　represented　by　a　dark　curtain；　and　they　nod
  their　heads　in　fear。　　Lady　Squeams　（the　Right　Honourable
  Lord　Southdown）；　her　lap…dog；　her　bags；　reticules；　and
  husband　sit　down；　and　cling　hold　of　some　ropes。　　It　is
  evidently　a　ship。
  The　Captain　（Colonel　Crawley；　C。B。）；　with　a　cocked
  hat　and　a　telescope；　comes　in；　holding　his　hat　on　his
  head；　and　looks　out；　his　coat　tails　fly　about　as　if　in　the
  wind。　　When　he　leaves　go　of　his　hat　to　use　his　telescope；
  his　hat　flies　off；　with　immense　applause。　　It　is　blowing
  fresh。　　The　music　rises　and　whistles　louder　and　louder；
  the　mariners　go　across　the　stage　staggering；　as　if　the　ship
  was　in　severe　motion。　　The　Steward　（the　Honourable　G。
  Ringwood）　passes　reeling　by；　holding　six　basins。　　He　puts
  one　rapidly　by　Lord　SqueamsLady　Squeams；　giving　a
  pinch　to　her　dog；　which　begins　to　howl　piteously；　puts
  her　pocket…handkerchief　to　her　face；　and　rushes　away　as
  for　the　cabin。　　The　music　rises　up　to　the　wildest　pitch　of
  stormy　excitement；　and　the　third　syllable　is　concluded。
  There　was　a　little　ballet；　〃Le　Rossignol；〃　in　which
  Montessu　and　Noblet　used　to　be　famous　in　those　days；
  and　which　Mr。　Wagg　transferred　to　the　English　stage　as
  an　opera；　putting　his　verse；　of　which　he　was　a　skilful
  writer；　to　the　pretty　airs　of　the　ballet。　　It　was　dressed　in
  old　French　costume；　and　little　Lord　Southdown　now
  appeared　admirably　attired　in　the　disguise　of　an　old　woman
  hobbling　about　the　stage　with　a　faultless　crooked　stick。
  Trills　of　melody　were　heard　behind　the　scenes；　and
  gurgling　from　a　sweet　pasteboard　cottage　covered　with
  roses　and　trellis　work。　　〃Philomele；　Philomele；〃　cries
  the　old　woman；　and　Philomele　comes　out。
  More　applauseit　is　Mrs。　Rawdon　Crawley　in　powder
  and　patches；　the　most　ravissante　little　Marquise　in　the
  world。
  She　comes　in　laughing；　humming；　and　frisks　about　the
  stage　with　all　the　innocence　of　theatrical　youthshe
  makes　a　curtsey。　　Mamma　says　〃Why；　child；　you　are
  always　l