We poor playfolk may bless our lucky stars that we've
only got to say the words set down for us and not our own. Mr. Gay who
writes 'em for us'll have the worry and he's got it too, what with
Rich's scraping and saving and his insisting upon Mr. Quin playing in
the opera."
Lavinia now saw why Gay had been depressed. But Mr. Quin the surly, who
only played in tragedies, what had he to do with Gay's opera? She put
the question to Mrs. Egleton.
"Nothing at all. He hasn't any more idea of singing than an old crow.
It's ridiculous, but Rich will have his way. I tell you flatly, Lavinia,
if Quin plays the part of Captain Macheath he'll be laughed at and so
shall we, and the piece will be damned."
Lavinia thought so too. She had, as Mrs. Squeamish in Wycherley's play,
once acted with Quin on the occasion of his benefit and she well
remembered his stiff, stilted style and how he domineered over
everybody. She felt rather dismayed but she could only resign herself to
the situation. There was the consolation that the opera was not likely
to be staged for some time and things might alter. In the theatre any
sudden change was possible.
For weeks, indeed to Christmas, Lavinia remained one of the "lasses" in
"The Rape of Proserpine," but she was quite contented, for Lancelot Vane
was permanently in London in his new post and they were constantly
together. Every night he was waiting for her outside the stage door and
saw her across the Fields to Little Queen Street.
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