This by the way.  Miss Herbert, who looked like the Blessed Damosel leaning out “across the bar of heaven,” was not very well suited to the line of parts that she was playing at the St. James’s, but she was very much admired.  During the run of “Friends and Foes” she fell ill.  Her illness was Kate’s opportunity.  From the night that Kate played Mrs. Union, her reputation was made.

It was a splendid chance, no doubt, but of what use would it have been to any one who was not ready to use it?  Kate, though only about nineteen at this time, was a finished actress.  She had been a perfect Ariel, a beautiful Cordelia, and had played at least forty other parts of importance since she had appeared as a tiny Robin in the Keans’ production of “The Merry Wives of Windsor.”  She had not had her head turned by big salaries, and she had never ceased working since she was four years old.  No wonder that she was capable of bearing the burden of a piece at a moment’s notice.  The Americans cleverly say that “the lucky cat watches.” I should add that the lucky cat works.  Reputations on the stage—­at any rate, enduring reputations—­are not made by chance, and to an actress who has not worked hard the finest opportunity in the world will be utterly useless.

My own opinion of my sister’s acting must be taken for what it is worth—­and that is very little.  I remember how she looked on the stage—­like a frail white azalea—­and that her acting, unlike that of Adelaide Neilson, who was the great popular favorite before Kate came to the front, was scientific.  She knew what she was about.  There was more ideality than passionate womanliness in her interpretations.  For this reason, perhaps, her Cordelia was finer than her Portia or her Beatrice.

She was engaged at one time to a young actor, called Montagu.  If the course of that love had run smooth, where should I have been?  Kate would have been the Terry of the age.  But Mr. Montagu went to America, and, after five years of life as a matinee idol, died there.  Before that, Arthur Lewis had come along.  I was glad because he was rich, and during his courtship I had some riding, of which in my girlhood I was passionately fond.

Tom Taylor had an enormous admiration for Kate, and during her second season as a “star” at Bristol he came down to see her play Juliet and Beatrice and Portia.  This second Bristol season came in the middle of my time at the Haymarket, but I went back, too, and played Nerissa and Hero.  Before that I had played my first leading Shakespeare part, but only at one matinee.

An actor named Walter Montgomery was giving a matinee of “Othello” at the Princess’s (the theater where I made my first appearance) in the June of 1863, and he wanted a Desdemona.  The agents sent for me.  It was Saturday, and I had to play it on Monday!  But for my training, how could I have done it?  At this time I knew the words and had studied the words—­a very different thing—­of every woman’s part in Shakespeare.  I don’t know what kind of performance I gave on that memorable afternoon, but I think it was not so bad.  And Walter Montgomery’s Othello?  Why can’t I remember something about it?  I only remember that the unfortunate actor shot himself on his wedding-day!