8:10
Eight o'clock came and still no Skinski . It was pitiful . I began to see visions of an insulted audience reaching for my collar over the prostrate form of my partner in crime . An usher came back at 8:10 and told us the house was full . I grinned at him foolishly and Bunch fell over a stage brace and disgraced himself . At 8:15 the orchestra leader came up to see why we did n't ring in and Bunch told him to ring off . I told Beethoven , or whatever his name was , to tune up and play everything in sight till I gave him the warning .