Bambi ordered the entire family to repose on its respective backs for an hour before they dressed for dinner. So they parted to obey orders. For that hour Bambi held herself firmly upon her bed, completing her plans.

They had agreed, she and Jarvis, that if there should be a call for the author, they would take it together, and Jarvis would speak. She was not sure just how she was to make the revelation to him of her dual personality. She decided to leave it to chance.

Never in her life had she been so excited. The double responsibility as author and playwright shrank to second place in comparison with the fact that this night she was to tell Jarvis of her love for him--hear him speak his love for her.

Before the hour of enforced quiet was over she could hear Ardelia tiptoeing about her room. Presently her head was cautiously inserted through the door. When she saw a hand waved at her, she bounced in.

"Laws, honey, I'se so excited, I cain't hol' my eyes shet. I got de Perfessor's dress suit cloes all laid out smooth, wif de b.u.t.tons in de shirt, an' de white tie ready. Now, yo' let me help yo' all git dressed befo' I begin to wra.s.sle wid dat tight skirt ob mine."

"All right, sit down and hold your hands till I jump into my bath."

While Bambi bathed, Ardelia shouted all the gossip of home through the bathroom door. Upon Bambi's reappearance, she insisted upon dressing her like a child. She put on her silk stockings and slippers, getting herself down and up with many a grunt. She const.i.tuted herself a critical judge in the hairdressing process, and fussed about every pin.

"Why ain't yo' all had one ob dese heah hair-fixers do yo' haid?"

"And make me look like a hair-shop model? Not much!"

"Well, yo' done purty good."

"Wait till I curl it," said Bambi, throwing up the window and popping her head out into the night air.

"Fo' de Lawd's sake, yo' curl yo' haih in Noo Yawk jes' lak yo' do at home."

"Why not? This cold, damp air is just the thing. Now look at me," she boasted, shaking her head so that the soft, curly rings fluttered like little bells about her face.

"Yo'll do," said Ardelia.

Bambi disappeared into the closet, and presently she popped out her head.

"Ardelia, prepare to die of joy. When you have seen my new dress, life has nothing more to offer you."

"I ain' gwine to die till after dis show."

Out of the closet Bambi danced, her arms full of sunset clouds apparently She held it up, and Ardelia's eyes bulged.

"Yo' don' call dat a dress?"

"Put it on me, and you'll call it a poem."

"Dey ain't nuthin' to it," she protested, as she slipped it over Bambi's head.

It was certainly a diaphanous thing of many layers of chiffon, graduating in colour from flame to palest apricot pink. It hung straight and simple on Bambi's lithe figure, bringing out all the colour, the dash, the fire-like quality in the girl's personality. The flush in her cheeks, the glow in her eyes, even the little curls, were like twisted tongues of flame. She whirled for Ardelia's inspection.

"I know dat ain't no decent dress, but yo' sho' is beautiful as Pottypar's wife."

"Who's she?"

"She's in the Bible!"

Bambi laughed.

"I look like the 'fire of spring,'" she nodded to her reflection. "Of course I'm beautiful! This is the biggest, happiest night of my life!"

A boy came for the Professor's clothes, and a little later that distracted gentleman presented himself to have his tie arranged, and to be looked over generally in case of omissions.

"My dear!" he exclaimed at sight of his daughter.

"_Aren't_ I wonderful?"

He put his hand under her chin and tipped her face to him.

"There is something about you to-night--elemental is the word--fire, water, and air."

She hugged him.

"Oh, but you've got a surprise coming to you this night. You are about to discover other unsuspected elements in your offspring."

"My dear, I'm so excited now I'm counting backward. Don't explode anything on me or I'll lose control."

"The secret is coming out to-night."

"Is it painful?"

"No, it's heavenly!"

Jarvis rapped.

"May I come in?"

"Yes."

He stood on the threshold a moment, a truly magnificent figure in his evening clothes.

"Jarvis!" breathed Bambi.

"Bambi!" exclaimed Jarvis, and they stood a-gaze. She recovered first.

"Do you like me?" she coquetted.

He walked about her slowly, considering her from all sides.

"Ariel!" he said at last.

"Oh, thank you, Apollo," she laughed, to cover the lump in her throat at his awed admiration.

They sent Ardelia's supper up to her, and the rest of them made an attempt at dining, but n.o.body could eat a thing. Bambi talked incessantly from excitement, and all eyes in the dining-room were focussed upon her.

Ardelia was in a tremor of pride when they went upstairs again. She shone like ebony, and grinned like a Hindoo idol. They admired her, to her heart's content, and she descended to the cab in a state of sinful pride.

Although they were early, the motors were already unloading before the theatre. They were to sit in the stage box, and as soon as the rest of them were seated Bambi went back on the stage to say good-evening to the company. The first-night excitement prevailed back there. Every member of the company was dressed and made up a good half hour too soon. They all a.s.sured the perturbed author that she need have no fears, everything would go off in fine shape. Somewhat relieved, she started to go out front, when she ran into Mr. Frohman.