Detective and mystery stories; England -- Social life and customs -- 20th century -- Fiction; English fiction -- 20th century
“Do you know if she’s playing now, and if so, where?”
Codlin had no idea; he had not seen her name for some time in any of
the bills. She might be in the provinces, she might have gone for a
tour abroad.
He thought a moment, and then added: “The best thing you can do if you
want to get hold of her is to go to her agent, ‘Mossy’ Samuelson, as we
call him. I’ll scribble his address on my card; he knows me well. That
will get you the _entrée_ at once, for he’s an awfully busy chap, and
if he doesn’t know you, will keep you waiting for hours.”
The next day found Sellars presenting his club friend’s card to a
small, sharp-looking boy in the rather dingy front room of a house
in a street off the Strand. A communicating door led to Mr. “Mossy”
Samuelson’s private sanctum, where he received his clients. A lot of
women, mostly young, but a few middle-aged, were waiting to see the
great man. Sellars thought that if all these people had to go in before
him he would have to wait for hours. He did not of course know the ways
of busy theatrical agents, that they do not see half the people who are
waiting for an audience, only come out and dismiss most of them with a
brief “Nothing for you to-day.”
“Tell him I won’t keep him a minute,” he whispered to the sharp-looking
boy, slipping half a crown into his rather grubby but appreciative palm.
Mr. Codlin’s card had a magical effect. In less than a minute the boy
appeared in the opening of the doorway and beckoned him in. A gentleman
with a pronounced Hebraic aspect sat in solemn state at a big table,
wearing the shiniest tall hat that Sellars had ever seen on a human
head. He doffed this resplendent article when he observed the young man
remove his own.
“Good-morning, sir; good-morning. Sorry I can’t give you more than a
minute or two. I’ve got three contracts to draw before one o’clock, and
there’s half the music-hall profession waiting in the other room to see
me. If it hadn’t been for Mr. Codlin’s card, couldn’t have given you a
second.”
In view of Mr. Samuelson’s evident importance, Sellars adopted a most
respectful tone. “Very kind of you, sir, very kind indeed. I will come
to the point at once. You are the agent of Miss Alma Buckley, I am
told.”
“I am, sir; been her agent for the last twenty years. What can I do for
you?”
“I want to see the lady on some private and important business. You
could not, of course, give me her address?”
“We never give addresses of our clients; clean against the rules, sir.”
The little, keen, beady eyes looked at him inquiringly. The young man
belonged to White’s Club and looked what Mr. Samuelson would describe
in his own words, “a toff.” What could such a person want with a
middle-aged, undistinguished music-hall artist?
“I quite appreciate that, Mr. Samuelson. Would you be good enough to
forward a letter for me?”
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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