Though she had consented, Christie had endless doubts and fears, but
Lucy removed many of the former, and her own desire for pleasant
employment conquered many of the latter. In her most despairing
moods she had never thought of trying this. Uncle Enos considered
"play-actin'" as the sum of all iniquity. What would he say if she
went calmly to destruction by that road? Sad to relate, this
recollection rather strengthened her purpose, for a delicious sense
of freedom pervaded her soul, and the old defiant spirit seemed to
rise up within her at the memory of her Uncle's grim prophecies and
narrow views.
"Lucy is happy, virtuous, and independent, why can't I be so too if
I have any talent? It isn't exactly what I should choose, but any
thing honest is better than idleness. I'll try it any way, and get a
little fun, even if I don't make much money or glory out of it."
So Christie held to her resolution in spite of many secret
misgivings, and followed Mrs. Black's advice on all points with a
docility which caused that sanguine lady to predict that she would
be a star before she knew where she was.
"Is this the stage? How dusty and dull it is by daylight!" said
Christie next day, as she stood by Lucy on the very spot where she
had seen Hamlet die in great anguish two nights before.
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