This was her custom, after all her attempts at conciliation had failed. Sometimes she would be silent; at others she would answer pithily and bitterly, and without thought, perhaps; but she always retired when she was becoming the subject of conversation. The old days of light skirmishing were at an end. Short and bitter battles of words, in which there was much gall, were now the fashion. I was aware that for some time preparations were being made for an important evening at the Wests'. I was very curious about it, but Jessie would not allay my curiosity. 'You shall know all at the proper time,' she said; 'in the mean time you can help me if you like.' 'Of course I will. What is that paper in your hand?' 'This is one of my characters, Chris. See here. Pauline--I'm to play Pauline. And here's another--Mrs. Letitia Lullaby--that's me again. I must learn every word of the parts, and you can help me in them.' 'I know what you want, Jessie; I've heard Turk go through some of his parts.' Thus it fell to my lot to hear Jessie repeat from memory all that Pauline and Mrs. Letitia Lullaby have to say, giving her the cues, and correcting her until she was, as she said, 'letter perfect.' But as she continued to tease me, and would not let me into the secret of all this preparation, I applied to Josey West for information. The good-natured creature seldom refused me anything. 'We are going to have a grand dress performance, my dear,' she said, 'and Jessie will play the principal characters in two pieces.' 'In dress?' I asked, in some amazement. 'In dress, my dear. The pieces are _Delicate Ground_, and _A Conjugal Lesson_; three characters in the first, and two in the second. Gus will play Mr. Simon Lullaby, Jessie's husband, in one piece, and Citizen Sangfroid, Jessie's husband, in the other. Brinsley, who is out of an engagement, has condescended--that is the word, my dear--condescended to play Alphonse de Grandier in _Delicate Ground_ for one night only, by special request of a lady.' 'Jessie?' I said.