"Stamp on it! Oh, quick, quick, it is coming
towards me."
But the moment the dresser caught sight of the cockroach, she sprang
on a chair and wound her skirts round her.
"Oh, madam," she panted, "I daren't! I daren't go near it. I'm
frightened out of my life, at beetles. And there's another of
them"--and she pointed to the wainscoting--"and another! Why, the
room's full of them!"
And so it was. Everywhere Gladys looked she saw beetles crawling
towards her--dozens upon dozens, hundreds upon hundreds--and all of
the same monstrous size and ultra-horrible appearance.
"Look!" she screamed. "They are climbing on to my clothes. One's got
into my shoes, and another will be in them, in a second. There's
another--crawling up my cloak--and another on my skirt. Oh! Oh!" and
her cries, and those of the dresser, speedily brought a troop of
actors and actresses to the door. The instant, however, the cause of
the alarm was ascertained, there were loud yells, and a wild stampede
down the passages. The Stage Manager was called, but one glance at the
floor was enough for him--he fled. And in the end three of the supers
had to be fetched. Hot water, brooms, ashes, and quicklime were used,
and although thousands of the cockroaches were killed, thousands more
came, and so hopeless did the task of getting rid of them become, that
the room eventually had to be vacated, and the cracks under the door
securely sealed.
Pages:
256
257
258
259
260
261
262
263
264
265
266
267
268
269
270
271
272
273
274
275
276
277
278
279
280