His biographer's description of his reception of her refusal is worth quoting: "I was with him at the Hotel Voltaire on the day when he heard from Mary Anderson, to whom he had sent a copy of the drama which was written for her. He telegraphed in the morning for her decision, and whilst we were talking together after lunch her answer came. It was unfavourable; yet, though he had founded great hopes on the production of this play, he gave no sign of his disappointment. I can remember his tearing a little piece off the blue telegraph-form and rolling it up into a pellet and putting it into his mouth, as, by a curious habit, he did with every paper or book that came into his hands. And all he said, as he passed the telegram over to me, was, 'This, Robert, is rather tedious.'" The scene of the play is laid in Padua, the period being the sixteenth century, and the characters are as follows:-- DRAMATIS PERSONÆ SIMONE GESSO Duke of Padua. BEATRICE His Wife. ANDREA POLLAIUOLO Cardinal of Padua. MAFFIO PETRUCCI } JEPPO VITELOZZO }Of the Ducal Household. TADDEO BARDI } GUIDO FERRANTI ASCANIO CRISTOFANO His Friend. COUNT MORANZONE BERNARDO CAVALCANTI Chief Justiciar of Padua. HUGO The Public Executioner. LUCIA A Tirewoman. Serving-Men, Burghers, Soldiers, Falconers, Monks, etc. The scene opens in the market, where Ascanio and Guido are awaiting the arrival of the writer of a letter who has promised to enlighten the latter as to his birth, and who will wear a violet cloak with a silver falcon embroidered on the shoulder. The stranger arrives and proves to be Count Moranzone, who, Ascanio having been dismissed, informs the lad that he is the son of Lorenzo, the late Duke of Padua, betrayed to an ignominious death by the reigning Duke, Simone Gesso. He works on the youth's feelings and induces him to swear to avenge his father's death by slaying his betrayer, but not until Moranzone sends him his parent's dagger. Guido left alone, in a fine speech renews his oath, and as he is vowing on his drawn dagger to "forswear the love of women and that hollow bauble men call female loveliness," Beatrice descends the steps of the church, their eyes meet for a second and as she leaves the stage she turns to look at him again. "Say, who is yonder lady?" inquires the young man, and a burgher answers, "The Duchess of Padua."