Home Secretary. I did not see why such a character should not sing and dance in the intervals between her pathetic scenes. She might be supposed to do so in order to cheer her spirits. I do not consider "Father's pants will soon fit brother" an inappropriate song for such a character. There is nothing immoral in it. I see no reason why a broken-hearted governess should not endeavour to raise her spirts by dancing an occasional "breakdown." I would not dance one in every scene, because that would not be true to nature. I see no objection to her dancing one now and then. A governess would probably have to teach her pupils to dance, and she would naturally practice occasionally to keep her hand in. No, I do not mean her foot—I mean what I say, her hand. I wore short petticoats because the audience expected it of me. I see no reason why a governess in a country vicarage should not wear short petticoats if she has good legs. I did not charge extra for wearing short petticoats. I wore them entirely in the author's interests. Besides that, I expect to have at least one song and dance in every part I play. I expect this because I possess both accomplishments, and it is essential that I should display them to the public as often as possible. If I could dance on a tight-rope, I would not insist on displaying that accomplishment in a country vicarage, unless, perhaps, on some very exceptional occasion, such as Rejoicing on the vicar's eldest son Coming of Age. Except on such an occasion no governess in a vicar's family would be likely to dance on the tight-rope. In point of fact, I can dance on a tight-rope, and I did not
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