Chapter 8

           Michaelgothimselfdemobbedthemomentthewarwasfinishedandsteppedstraightintoapart.Hereturnedtothestageamuchbetteractorthanheleftit.Thebreezinesshehadacquiredinthearmywaseffective.Hewasawellset-up,normal,high-spiritedfellow,withareadysmileandaheartylaugh.Hewaswellsuitedtodrawing-roomcomedy.Hislightvoicegaveapeculiareffecttoaflippantline,andthoughhenevermanagedtomakeloveconvincinglyhecouldcarryoffachaffinglovescene,makingaproposalasifitwereratherajoke,oradeclarationasthoughhewerelaughingathimself,inamannerthattheaudiencefoundengaging.Heneverattemptedtoplayanyonebuthimself.Hespecializedinmenabouttown,gentlemanlygamblers,guardsmenandyoungscampswithagoodsidetothem.

           Managerslikedhim.Heworkedhardandwasamenabletodirection.Solongashecouldgetworkhedidn’tmindmuchwhatsortofpartitwas.Hestuckoutforthesalaryhethoughthewasworth,butifhecouldn’tgetitwaspreparedtotakelessratherthanbeidle.

           Hewasmakinghisplanscarefully.Duringthewinterthatfollowedtheendofthewartherewasanepidemicofinfluenza.Hisfatherandmotherdied.Heinheritednearlyfourthousandpounds,andthiswithhisownsavingsandJulia’sbroughtuptheirjointcapitaltoseventhousand.Buttherentoftheatreshadgoneupenormously,thesalariesofactorsandthewagesofstagehandshadincreased,sothattheexpenseofrunningatheatrewasverymuchgreaterthanithadbeenbeforethewar.