Philip Curtiss

Name: Mummers in Mufti — Chapter 10
Author: Philip Curtiss

Mummers in Mufti — Chapter 10 (1922)

Summary

“Mummers in Mufti — Chapter 10”, published in 1922, is a work by Philip Curtiss. It explores elements such as Bellsmith, Charlie Barnes and Tommy Knight.

Quotes from Mummers in Mufti — Chapter 10 (Philip Curtiss)

Philip Curtiss, Mummers in Mufti — Chapter 10 (1922)

“ Toasts to to every one, Jules and Bellsmith included, were ceremoniously drunk, but when Tommy Knight had tried to argue, man to bell-boy, the evening had reached its peak. Actors are, as a rule, the most law-abiding people in the world, or else they have a keen fear of public opinion; and no second reminder from the night clerk would be needed that evening.
Once, indeed, the virtuoso on the imaginary banjo tried to repeat his success by an improvisation on an imaginary Hawaiian zither, for, although not an original soul, the man was persistent, but no one paid much attention. ”

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Source: Wikisource

Philip Curtiss, Mummers in Mufti — Chapter 10 (1922)

“ To Bellsmith, however, this quiet fag-end of the party was more enjoyable than the first part had been. He was, by nature if not by opportunity, one of those men who ask little of life but, equally, have a vague terror of going to bed and, say what one will, the best company in the world is a group of people who are not in themselves tremendously clever—so long as they have no particular scruples. It is dullness linked with conviction that has given stupid people their bad name. ”

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Source: Wikisource

Philip Curtiss, Mummers in Mufti — Chapter 10 (1922)

“ Poor Tommy, blinking, sipped it feebly, like a fever patient sipping a cooling niter. He opened his eyes.
"By George, that's good!"
"Now, look here, Tommy," said Surdam. "Remember you've got to play a matinée to-morrow. Why don't you go to bed?" ”

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Source: Wikisource

Philip Curtiss, Mummers in Mufti — Chapter 10 (1922)

“ CHAPTER X IN the life of a furnace fire (and so, presumably, in all human enterprise, my dear children) there comes a point after which it is of absolutely no use to pile on fuel or to apply forced drafts. The thing is due to be ashes—out, gray, extinct. Effort beyond that point is effort wasted. Thus it is, sooner or later, with every gay party, and thus it was with the birthday feast of Tommy Knight, aged thirty-one.
The arrival of Bellsmith's champagne was, to be sure, greeted with a homage befitting its rank. ”

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Source: Wikisource

Philip Curtiss, Mummers in Mufti — Chapter 10 (1922)

“ The stage-manager listlessly got up and answered it.
"Hello?"
He turned and added, "Long-distance."
All the men waited in silence, as people do wait when a private call is in progress; then suddenly the stage-manager began again.
"Hello! Hello!"
A rigmarole answered him from the other end of the wire.
"What's that?" he asked. "Who?"
With a grin he put his hand over the transmitter and turned to the room.
"It's that damn fool, Tommy Knight," he announced. "He said that he was Charles Dillingham, and he wanted to offer Barnes a part at the Hippodrome at a thousand a week. ”

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Source: Wikisource

Philip Curtiss, Mummers in Mufti — Chapter 10 (1922)

“ Bellsmith turned in furious apology and found the girl holding out her hand.
"Good night, Mr. Bellsmith," she said. "I think that I'd better struggle up to bed."
Bellsmith walked with her to the open door, suddenly aware, as he crossed the room, that the party had thinned amazingly. The bold-faced girl was now the only woman left. In the last hours of any party there are always unaccountable gaps like that.
Neither one knowing exactly what to say, Bellsmith and Miss Marshall walked slowly along the padded hall to the stairs which flanked the elevator shaft, where they stopped indefinitely. ”

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Source: Wikisource

Philip Curtiss, Mummers in Mufti — Chapter 10 (1922)

“ The girl laughed. "Don't worry. Charlie Barnes and Pete Surdam will sit up all night, and nobody who has the entrée to the champagne cellar will be an outsider. Do you think you can get home all right?"
Bellsmith clamped his hand to his trousers pocket. "By Jove! I'm glad you spoke of that. I haven't a key. I 'll have to telephone them if I'm going to stay."
"Who's 'them'?"
"The household," answered Bellsmith, entirely innocent of the fact that he had not at all answered her question. The girl looked at him quietly. "Tell me," she said. "By any long chance you 're not married, are you?" ”

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Source: Wikisource

Philip Curtiss, Mummers in Mufti — Chapter 10 (1922)

“ After an interminable wait Bellsmith succeeded in rousing a sleepy William at the other end of the wire, explained where he was and when he would probably be home. The night clerk listened with interest. Even night clerks like to have people around. ”

Philip Curtiss

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Quotes from Mummers in Mufti — Chapter 10 (Philip Curtiss)

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