subtlety and quickness in facial expression and gesture, one has to be
both speaker and listener.

Now, of what artifices can we make use to take the place of all the
extraneous help offered to actors on the stage? First and foremost,
as a means of suddenly pulling up the attention of the audience, is
the judicious art of pausing. For those who have not actually had
experience in the matter, this advice will seem trite and unnecessary,
but those who have even a little experience will realize with me the
extraordinary efficacy of this very simple means. It is really what
Coquelin spoke of as a "high light," where the interest is focused, as
it were, to a point.

I have tried this simple art of _pausing_ with every kind of audience,
and I have rarely know it to fail. It is very difficult to offer a
concrete example of this, unless one is giving a "live" representation,
but I shall make an attempt, and at least I shall hope to make myself
understood by those who have heard me tell stories.


In Hans Andersen's "Princess and the Pea," the King goes down to open
the door himself. Now, one may make this point in two ways. One may
either say: "And then the King went to the door, and at the door there
stood a real Princess," or, "And then the King went to the door, and
at the door there stood--(pause)--a real Princess."

It is difficult to exaggerate the difference of effect produced by so
slight a pause.[13] With children it means an unconscious curiosity
which expresses itself in a sudden muscular tension. There is just time
during that instant's pause to _feel_, though not to _formulate, the