“Lucy might form exaggerated expectations from Hartstone’s letter,” he said to himself. “I think I had better see her.” There were no parties in Mr. Desmond’s world just now. Every one worthy of a fashionable editor’s consideration was out of town, and the gentleman had his evenings to himself. It was over his solitary dinner-table that Mr. Desmond arrived at this conclusion; and it was to the Oxford Road Theatre that he bent his steps after dinner, knowing that he was most likely to find Lucy Alford there. The play was “The Stranger.” He went into the dingy dress-circle for half an hour, and saw Mrs. Haller play her penitent scene with the Countess. Miss St. Albans looked very pretty as she grovelled at the feet of her kindly patroness, dressed in white muslin which was in the last stage of limpness, and with a penitential white-lace cap upon her girlish head. He waited patiently through the rest of the play, and went to the green-room after the last dismal scene, impressed with the conviction that Lucy Alford was one of the dearest and prettiest of girls, but not yet on the high-road to becoming a Siddons. He found poor little Mrs. Haller alone in the green-room, with a book in her hand, and with a very plaintive expression of countenance. She brightened a little on recognizing the visitor; but while shaking hands with her, Mr. Desmond perceived that her eyes were red, as with much weeping. “I did not think you felt the character so deeply,” he said; “those real tears are a very good sign for a young actress.” Lucy shook her head, despondently. “It isn’t that,” she said; “I-I-was c-c-crying bec-c-cause I am n-not to play J-J-J-Julia!” Hereupon she fairly broke down and sobbed aloud, to the consternation of Mr. Desmond, who did not know how to console this poor weeping maiden. The sight of a woman’s tears was always very painful to him; and for this young childlike creature he felt a pity that was especially tender. “My dear little girl,” he said, “pray don’t cry. Tell me all about this business. Who is Julia?--what is Julia?--and why are you not to play Julia?”