Free More William by Richmal Crompton Page B

dressed up to represent one of the ugly
sisters. It was, however, decided at a later meeting, consisting of William and his mother and sister, that William could not take the part. It was William who came to this decision. He was adamant
against both threats and entreaties. Without cherishing any delusions about his personal appearance, he firmly declined to play the part of the ugly sister. They took the news with deep apologies
to Mrs de Vere Carter, who was already in the middle of the first act. Her already low opinion of William sank to zero. Their next choice was Little Red Riding Hood, and William was lured, by
glowing pictures of a realistic costume, into consenting to take the part of the Wolf. Every day he had to be dragged by some elder and responsible member of his family to a rehearsal. His hatred
of Cuthbert was only equalled by his hatred of Mrs de Vere Carter.
    ‘He acts so unnaturally ,’ moaned Mrs de Vere Carter. ‘Try really to think you’re a wolf, darling. Put some spirit into it. Be – animated .’
    William scowled at her and once more muttered monotonously his opening lines:
    A wolf am I – a wolf on mischief bent,
    To eat this little maid is my intent.
    ‘Take a breath after “bent”, darling. Now say it again.’
    William complied, introducing this time a loud and audible gasp to represent the breath. Mrs de Vere Carter sighed.
    ‘Now, Cuthbert, darling, draw your little sword and put your arm round Joan. That’s right.’
    Cuthbert obeyed, and his clear voice rose in a high chanting monotone:
    Avaunt! Begone! You wicked wolf, away!
    This gentle maid shall never he your prey.
    ‘That’s beautiful, darling. Now, William, slink away. Slink away, darling. Don’t stand staring at Cuthbert like that. Slink away. I’ll show you.
Watch me slink away.’
    Mrs de Vere Carter slunk away realistically, and the sight of it brought momentary delight to William’s weary soul. Otherwise the rehearsals were not far removed from torture to him. The
thought of being a wolf had at first attracted him, but actually a wolf character who had to repeat Mrs de Vere Carter’s meaningless couplets and be worsted at every turn by the smiling
Cuthbert, who was forced to watch from behind the scenes the fond embraces of Cuthbert and Joan, galled his proud spirit unspeakably. Moreover, Cuthbert monopolised her both before and after the
rehearsals.
    ‘Come away, Joan, he’th prob’bly all over coal dutht and all of a meth.’
    The continued presence of unsympathetic elders prevented his proper avenging of such insults.
    The day of the performance approached, and there arose some little trouble about William’s costume. If the wearing of the dining-room hearthrug had been forbidden by Authority it would
have at once become the dearest wish of William’s heart and a thing to be accomplished at all costs. But, because Authority decreed that that should be William’s official costume as the
Wolf, William at once began to find insuperable difficulties.
    ‘It’s a dirty ole thing, all dust and bits of black hair come off it on me. I don’t think it looks like a wolf. Well, if I’ve gotter be a wolf folks might just as
well know what I am. This looks like as if it came off a black sheep or sumthin’. You don’t want folks to think I‘m a sheep ’stead of a wolf , do you?
You don’t want me to be made look ridiclus before all these folks, do you?’
    He was slightly mollified by their promise to hire a wolf’s head for him. He practised wolf’s howlings (though these had no part in Mrs de Vere Carter’s play) at night in his
room till he drove his family almost beyond the bounds of sanity.
    Mrs de Vere Carter had hired the Village Hall for the performance, and the proceeds were to go to a local charity.
    On the night of the play the Hall was packed, and Mrs de Vere Carter was in a flutter of excitement and importance.
    ‘Yes, the dear children are splendid, and they look beautiful !