[_He thrusts PODBURY, protesting vainly, into the intérieur,
with two peasants, a priest and the elderly Englishwoman. The
diligence starts again._

* * * * *

AT THE ITALIAN OPERA.

[Illustration: Two (Covent Garden) Gentlemen of Verona!!]

[Illustration: Exit Romeo by the Rope Ladder,--a shrewd guess at what
really happens.]

_Tuesday, October 20th_.--Opening night. _Roméo et Juliette; débuts_
of Mlle. SIMMONET, of the Opera Comique, and M. COSSIRA, as the
lovers. _Lady Capulet's_ Small Dance, quite the smartest of the
season, as the Veronese nobility present were evidently remarking,
with abundance of easy gesture, to one another, as they led the way to
the lemonade. The _Juliette_ of the evening charming, and soon singing
herself into the good graces of a large audience; ditto, M. COSSIRA,
"than which," as the Prophet NICHOLAS would say, "a more competent
_Roméo_--though perhaps a trifle full in the waist for balcony-scaling
by moonlight." If he had really trusted himself to that gossamer
ladder in the Fourth Act, he would never have got away to Mantua,
especially as _Juliette_, with the thoughtlessness of her age and sex,
omitted to secure it in any way. Fortunately it was not a long drop,
and the descent was accomplished without accident, as will be seen
from the accompanying sketch.