"If I let ye a lodging what are ye a-goin' to do till October?"
"You spoke about the concerts at the Great Room just now," said Lavinia
meditatively. "Do they have singing?"
"Singin'? Ah, an' such singin' as I never heard afore. I've never been
inside, it's far too fine fur the likes o' me, but the windows are
sometimes open an' I've listened an' paid nothin' fur it neither."
"I want to sing in that room, Mrs. Higgins. If I had a chance I believe
I could please the fine gentlemen and their ladies and earn some
money."
Betty Higgins stared aghast.
"What are ye a-talkin' about, child? _You_ sing? Where's your silk gown,
your lace, your furbelows to come from?"
"I don't know, but I think something might be contrived."
Lavinia had Mrs. Houghton, who had been the leading lady in "The Orphan"
and in "The Wits," in her mind. Mrs. Houghton was very friendly towards
her and had no end of fine dresses.
"Oh, but singin'. Goodness me, child, you haven't heard 'em in the Great
Room, all tralalas and twists and turns up and down, sometimes soft as a
mouse and sometimes so loud as 'ud a'most wake the dead. I'd like to
hear ye do all that, not mind ye, as I understand what it means, but its
pure grand."
"I'll sing something to you Betty that you _can_ understand. What of 'My
lodging, it is on the Cold Ground.' Would you like to hear that?"
"Wouldn't I! My mother was maid to Mistress Moll Davies, as King Charles
was mad over, though for the matter o' that he was always a runnin'
after the women.
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