He lit another, and they moved toward the stage, through the curtains of which came a smell of onions and cheese, rather offensive on such a hot night. For the first time Beenham began to feel a qualm as to the adventure. The second match went out, and he felt Matilda place her hand on his arm, and she led him toward the stage, told him to duck his head, and they passed through into a narrow space, lit by a light through another curtain, and filled, so far as he could see, with scenery and properties. "Have you been here before?" he said. "When I was a little girl. I think it's this way." He stumbled and brought a great pole and a mass of dusty canvas crashing down. At once there was the battering of feet on boards, the din of voices male and female, and above them all a huge booming bass roaring: "In Hell's name, what's that?" Matilda giggled. A curtain was torn aside, and the light filled the place where they were. Against it they could see silhouetted the shape of a diminutive man craning forward and peering. He had a great stick in his hand, and he bellowed: "Come out o' that! It's not the first time I've leathered a man, and it won't be the last. This 'ere's a theater, my theater. It ain't a doss house. Come out o' that." "It's me," said Matilda. "Gorm, it's a woman!" "It's me, uncle." "Eh?" "It's me, Matilda Burn." "What? Jenny's girl?" "Yes, uncle." "Well, I never! Who's your fancy?" "It's Mr. Mole." The figure turned and vanished, and the curtain swung to again. They heard whisperings and exclamations of surprise, and in a moment Mr. Copas returned with a short ladder which he thrust down into their darkness. They ascended it and found themselves on the stage. Matilda was warmly embraced, while her companion stood shyly by and gazed round him at the shabby scenery and the footlights and the hanging lamps over his head. He found it oddly exciting to be standing in such a place, and he said to himself: "This is the stage," as in Rome one might stand and say: "This is the Forum." This excitement and romantic fervor carried with it a certain helplessness, as though he had been plunged into a foreign land that before he had only dimly realized. "This is the stage! This is the theater!"