Mr.Worrall has been evidently accustomed to direct his niece's life from top to bottom--to choose her plays for her, helped by Mr.Robinson; to advise her as to her fellow-actors, and her behaviour in society; and all, of course, with a shrewd eye to the family profit, and as little regard as need be to any fantastical conception of art.
'Now, however, Isabel has asserted herself in several unexpected ways.
She has refused altogether to open her autumn season with the play which had been nearly decided on before they left London--a flimsy spectacular performance quite unworthy of her.

As soon as possible she will make important changes in the troupe who are to be with her, and at the beginning of September she is coming to stay three weeks with us in Paris, and, in all probability (though the world is to know nothing of it), Perrault of the Conservatoire, who is a great friend of ours, will give her a good deal of positive teaching.

This last arrangement is particularly exasperating to Mr.Worrall.He regards it as sure to be known, a ridiculous confession of weakness on Isabel's part, and so on.
However, in spite of his wrath and the aunt's sullen or tearful disapproval, she has stood firm, and matters are so arranged.' * * * * * '_Saturday night, August_ 25.
'This evening we persuaded her at last to give us some scenes of Juliet.
How I wish you could have been here! It was one of those experiences which remain with one as a sort of perpetual witness to the poetry which life holds in it, and may yield up to one at any moment.

It was in our little garden; the moon was high above the houses opposite, and the narrow canal running past our side railing into the Grand Canal was a shining streak of silver.

The air was balmy and absolutely still; no more perfect setting to Shakespeare or to Juliet could have been imagined.
Paul sat at a little table in front of the rest of us; he was to read Romeo and the Nurse in the scenes she had chosen, while in the background were the Worralls and Lucy Bretherton (the little crippled sister), Mr.
Wallace, and myself.