Agar came back to me with a faint colour in her cheeks. This was rare with her, for she had a marble-like complexion. “Here is the manuscript!” she said, giving me a little roll of paper. The rehearsal was over, and I wished Agar good-bye, and on my way home read the piece. I was so delighted with it that I drove straight back to the theatre to give it to Duquesnel at once. I met him coming downstairs. “Do come back again, please!” I exclaimed. “Good heavens, my dear girl, what is the matter?” he asked. “You look as though you have won a big lottery prize.” “Well, it is something like that,” I said, and entering his office, I produced the manuscript, “Read this, please,” I continued. “I’ll take it with me,” he said. “Oh no, read it here at once!” I insisted. “Shall I read it to you?” “No, no,” he replied; “your voice is treacherous. It makes charming poetry of the worst lines possible. Well, let me have it,” he continued, sitting down in his arm-chair. He began to read whilst I looked at the newspapers. “It’s delicious!” he soon exclaimed. “It’s a perfect masterpiece.” I sprang to my feet in joy. “And you will get Chilly to accept it?” “Oh yes, you can make your mind easy. But when do you want to play it?” “Well, the author seems to be in a great hurry,” I said, “and Agar too.” “And you as well,” he put in, laughing, “for this is a _rôle_ that just suits your fancy.” “Yes, my dear ‘_Duq_,’” I acknowledged. “I too want it put on at once. Do you want to be very nice?” I added. “If so, let us have it for the benefit of Madame —— in a fortnight from now. That would not make any difference to other arrangements, and our poet would be so happy.” “Good!” said Duquesnel, “I will settle it like that. What about the scenery, though?” he muttered meditatively, biting his nails, which were then his favourite meal when disturbed in his mind. I had already thought that out, so I offered to drive him home, and on the way I put my plan before him. We might have the scenery of _Jeanne de Ligneris_, a piece that had been put on and taken off again immediately, after being jeered at by the public. The scenery consisted of a superb Italian park, with flowers, statues, and even a flight of steps. As to costumes, if we spoke of them to Chilly, no matter how little they might cost he would shriek, as he had done in his _rôle_ of Rodin. Agar and I would supply our own costumes.