BY ROYAL COMMAND.

Otago Witness, Issue 2983, 17 May 1911, Page 98

BY ROYAL COMMAND.

By Vivian Grey.

Yes, my mind was made up. I would do it. I w.as tired to death, of waiting on managers who seldom could be seen, and, when by accident they were on view for transient moments, bad such stereotyped nothings as " A little later, Warley—spring tour, perhaps—-send a line along to remind me, or drop in—see 'So-and-so." These were the inevitable sentences that greeted me at every turn, while the shrug of the shoulders accompanying the words showed only too plainly I was not wanted. There were others, many others —nay, thousands —ready to do for pocket-money what I was only prepared to do for a living wage. . It may be unmanly for me to say so, but the "rankling spirit of discontent only reached boiling-point—causing me to kick over theatrical traces—when I saw one day a thousand-pound motor car , draw up at one of our principal London theatres at the hour when treasury is paid. From the richly-upholstered automobile a fair vision languidly alighted and crossed the intervening pavement. Poised on top of her well-dressed' coiffure a Paris hat costing 4gs to sgs undulated gently in the breeze. . Meanwhile, the bright sunshine played hide-and-seek amongst handsome diamonds and pearls' valued at something like £3OO, half hidden by the long cloak of sable furs which clung caressingly over an exquisite gown of squirrel-coloured silk. I waited, with a few admiring loafers, for a few minutes until the vision reappeared, calmly letting her salary drop through her fingers into a large cold chain purse. I counted the amount—it was just three half-sovereigns! To repeat, .from that moment my mind Was 'made up. Undoubtedly, J.he profession was overcrowded. I must seek other channels, and, to cut a long preamble short, I did. For a long time I had been imbued with the. notion that impersonating some big celebrity might possibly pay. Mind, in Ml justice to myself, I never imagined for a moment, when this new role occurred to me, of taking any' mean advantage, and, by passing myself off actually as the person whose part _ I contemplated playing, score pecuniary or other triumphs. No, the idea was simply to make myself up—l am a master of the art,—and bs innocently mistaken for '■ somebody—a bi? somebody—else. Once this was accomplished, I felt confident I should be approached and my services enlisted. It was a mad notion —a thousand-to-one chance,—but still a chance;, and, just as a drowning man catches at straws, I caught at this, and strange to add, succeeded beyond my dreams. Fortunately, my wardrobe, left over from the last tour, gave me a sufficiency of most things I should want in my new part of " impersonator," and a visit to. a leading costumier (completed the rest. I was prepared for anything. It took a good deal of inward resolution to nerve myself up for the initial ordeal, for I determined my first character should be none other than his Majesty — — —. I was just the right height, and the fact of the august potentate being on a friendly visit to this country seemed ample warranty for my temerity. It was a risky and daring stroke, and a million to one against being successful from a financial point of view—l y/as egotistical enough to believe it.would never be a failure from an artistic one,—but debts and difficulties make gamblers of most of us at times, so I gambled on the big deal, and, in sporting parlane ,"put it all on to win." Accustomed to seeing myself " made ud " in the various characters I have played, I was never more astonished at my own appearance than when I had completed myself, from bead to foot, and stood arrayed in a frock _ coat suit before my wardrobe glass, the living duplicate of —' —. I not only looked —; to the life as I stood there admixing the figure I cut, but I at once entered the skin of the part as if it were a sieve, and felt every inch a monarch. Now, it as easy enough to satisy one's self, especially when a looking glass is concerned, but how about the world in general? Could I be quite sure nobody would possibly fail to recognise ——? There was the rub, and as I nervously

buttoned my suede gloves preparatory to going going out for the first time in my new role, a cold shiver cf apprehension shot down my back like a cascade of icy water. ■ With no settled plan to how I should proceed, I kit my apartments and jumped into a taxi, instructmg the driver to put me down at the Duke of York s column. A walk along the Mall on such a fine spring morning as this would soon satisfy me as to what figure I cut. The moment the cab drew up at my destination I leisurely alighted and paid the man, who, to my intense satisfaction, stared in a dazed sort of way at me, as though trying to remember where he had seen my face before. Pretending to take no notice I, slowly walked towards the steps leading to the park. I had barely moved a few paces before a police inspector and a sergeant, who were conversing by the column, suddenly caught sight of me, and, as I passed them by, instantly saluted cautiously, as if respecting my wish to be strictly incog. Touching my silk hat with my forefinger by way of acknowledgment, I smiled pleasantly and negotiated the flight _of steps with very mixed feelings ; gratified pride, as an actor vied with the Keenest anxiety as to the outcome of the adventure, coupled with vague wonderings as to how I should ever benefit by my royal impersonation. My nervousness gradually wore off as I strolled easily towards Buckingham Palace. There were very few people about, and my spirits rose when I found passers-by raised, their hats • in the case of gentlemen, while the ladies bowed most deferentially and charmingly. Verily the flattering unction was being generously lavished with no unsparing hand. There was not the slightest doubt of the complete success of my disguise. I hoodwinked everybody I met, and left them standing ofttimes iix little groups saying all sorts of nice things behind my Fortunately, the rougher element one sometimes meets in more crowded thoroughfares was absent, so I luckily escaped a mobbing. . On reaching the Palace itself, and causing a stalwart Grenadier on “sentry go’ to come smartly ‘ ‘to. the shoulder, I espied an empty cab that, fortunately, was passing, and jumped in before complications arose. “Hyde Park, cabby, I called out, and within a few minutes I was walking midst the cream of beauty, rank, and fashion. ■ It was wonderful how a monarch’s seeming whim to take a solitary stroll in the park on a fine „ spring morning was thoroughly respected. I was not molested once by a Single soul - amongst that patrician crowd, many of whom would doubtless have given their very ears for a moment’s conversation. _ At last, with my right arm fairly aching with the by no meaps light task of cessant hat-raising, 1 escaped from the throng, and, seizing the first opportunity, took another taxi home. The next day I carried out the same programme, with one or two minor alterations, but beyond reading witn much interest Che fact that made him -famous, was seen’ walking in HydeSPark yesterday, looking exceedingly fit and well,’’ nothing had happened at all. • .

My scheme, from a professional point of view, seemed a dead failure, and the glogmy foreboding that the only result would be a visit irom the police, seemed the only possible outcome of my foolhardy undertaking. Imagine, then, my chagrin when, exactly three days after I had dared to become a monarch's double, a card was brought up to my rooms on which was laconically inscribed : •

CHIEF INSPECTOR SIADE, C.I.D - New Scotland ¥abd.

"Show the gentleman up," I gasped feebly; and with my heart in my boots I tremblingly awaited results. My frock-coated, silk-hatted visitor was most brisk, formal, and polite ;• before we had talked five minutes my previous fears had vanished into thin air, and at the expiration of a quarter of an hour I was warmly shaking my interviewer's hand. My expectations had succeeded far beyond my wildest dreams. I was officially engaged to play the part of the -'s double on a oertain forthcoming occasion for the sum of £SOO.

The great day at last arrived, and just as 6 o'clock struck I found myself in full evening dress once more looking every inch, the , lolling back in the private brougham that was hastening me to the Palace. Painted panels had been inserted in the window panels, and no one in the crowded streets we negotiated guessed anyone was inside at all.

One© within the private apartments at the Palace, I was given my final instructions. They were very simple. It was the opening night of the Royal— London's latest playhouse, —and the had graciously consented to be .present. For a reason, that was afterwards explained, the august visitor had decided not to go —I was to take his place. That was all.

A few minutes later,' confusedly wondering why I had been engaged for £SOO for so trifling an errand, I was being whirled along in his Majesty's own beautifully upholstered carriage—drawn by a magnificent pair of prancing bays. Like one in a dream I heard the shouts of the people, and watched them standing in excited groups waving their hats and handkerchiefs as the Royal equipage swung through the well-lighted streets. I noted how all the traffic was momentarily suspended by the police —along the whole line of route to the theatre, —allowing us to dart through without a moment's let or hindrance:

Shall I ever forget the sight on arrival at th© Royal! The vermilion and white awning outside the private entrance —the red carpet reach-

ing to the kerb—the sound of lusty throats cheering to the very echo —the footman, hat in hand—the hoarse commands of the police to "stand back there" —the glint of dress-shirt fronts of those who had come to receive me—finally, the triumphant crash of the orchestra as the National Anthem swelled through the auditorium. There for a moment I stood in the Royal box, Godfrey Warley, actor, the cynosure of all eyes, receiving these panegyrical adulations, until, in a state bordering on collapse, I sank into the gilt-backed armchair behind me, and when the curtain at last went up I wiped the big beads of perspiration that had clustered on my brow.

Then the evening gradually wore on, how, I cannot exactly recollect. Once or twice Slade came to me in the interval, and I noticed his face bore rather an anxious expression, and at times I thought he was about to say something confidential. However, he did not, but at the finale, as I rose to leave the box, ho whispered in my ear: "Now, don't forget, whatever may happen on the drive back to the palace say nothing, and, above all, do nothing. Keep your seat in the centre of the carriage, and lay well back. Should anything untoward arise, keep perfectly still.' Be very careful about this, or the consequences may be serious." Again, amidst the cheers of an excited crowd, I took my place alone in the — —'& carriage—followed, as formerly, by another in which the inspector and someone else —"my suite" —were seated. All went well until we entered the park by St. James's Gate, when suddenly, without the slightest warning, a man leaped out from the surrounding blackness—for a second of time I beheld a malignant face at the window—something bright flickered momentarily in the rays of the carriage lamps, followed by two loud reports, and a bullet hissed by my cheek, burying itself in the cushions and woodwork by my side. As the carriage filled with choking fumes the splintering of glass told me the direction of bullet number two.

Remembering my instructions, I set my teeth firmly together and sat. tight. It was well I did so, for still another report rang out, and a third would-be leaden missive of death tore its way through 'the carriage, spending itself barmiessy amidst the trees a hundred yards beyond. The life of Godfrey Warley, the 's double, was saved by the mere space of two inches!

" You see," said the superintendent next morning, as he handed v me the promised cheque, "we had been officially warned of this mono-maniac who had threatened the 'e life on more than one occasion. A fortnight ago this man escaped, and, despite all efforts, his whereabouts could not be traced. A few days ago, however, he wrote an extraordinary letter to the authorities, the exact contents of- which I cannot divulge, but the gist of the note was to the effect that the attempt be made on the occa. sion of his Majesty's visit to the Royal. The 'exact time and spot of this contemplated crime being omitted, we were naturally at a loss to know how to sufficiently lure the maniac on to make his wild attempt, and, by so doing, effectually 'cook his goose.'" "This we have done, for he's safely under lock and kev now, thanks to _vou, Mr Warley. You have earned a nation's gratitude by your marvellous impersonation."—M. A.'P.