portion of the audience is made up of women, many of
whom have brought their babes. Little girls, fascinated
at first by the spectacle, soon fall asleep, and slumber
peacefully till their parents are ready to go home in the
CH INE SE GAMB LIN G A T A F A IR
morning. The audience, indeed, is far more interesting
than the play. The women laugh in the discreetest way
at the doubtful sallies of the actors. Their quick perception
is only equalled by the innate modesty of their
manners, and the perfect reserve that marks their re-
TH E R IS IN G GEN ERATION OF CE LESTIA L S
lationship with their men. Although they are people of
warm passions and much affection, they contrive to
restrict the exhibition of these emotions to their own
homes.
The play moves on to the strident voices of the
actors, the vigorous music of the orchestra, and part
o f the audience is comfortably
asleep, when
there is a sudden movement
in the back seats
near the entrance, and
the whole body of men
in the house rush to
their feet, as a party of
sailors breaks in at the
wicket. A free fight,
the crashing of chair
legs, the thud of fists,
a Stream o f hard words E n t e r i n g t h e CH INE SE t e m p l e
83