[_The girls sing_, SATAN _smiles, the girls sing on._ ANTONINUS _tip-toes to seat, back to window, and sits listening. The girls sing on. They pass the window and shake the branch of a cherry tree. The petals fall in sheets past the window. The girls sing on and_ ANTONINUS _sits listening._ ANTONINUS (_hand to forehead_): My head aches. I think it is that song.... Perhaps, perhaps it is the halo. Too heavy, too heavy for _us_. [SATAN _walks gently up and removes it and walks away with the gold disc._ ANTONINUS _sits silent._ SATAN: When the moon is waning. [_Exit. More petals fall past the window. The song rings on._ ANTONINUS _sits quite still, on his face a new ecstacy._ CURTAIN. IF SHAKESPEARE LIVED TO-DAY _DRAMATIS PERSONÆ_ SIR WEBLEY WOOTHERY-JURNIP} _Members of the_ MR. NEEKS } _Olympus_. JERGINS, _an old waiter_. MR. TRUNDLEBEN, _Secretary of the Club_. MR. GLEEK, _Editor of the "Banner and Evening Gazette" and member of the Olympus_. SCENE _A room in the Olympus Club._ _Time: After luncheon._ SIR WEBLEY WOOTHERY-JURNIP _and_ MR. NEEKS _sit by a small table. Further away sits_ MR. GLEEK, _the Editor of the "Banner and Evening Gazette."_ SIR WEBLEY JURNIP _rises and rings the bell by the fire-place. He returns to his seat._ MR. NEEKS: I see there's a man called Mr. William Shakespeare putting up for the Club. SIR WEBLEY: Shakespeare? Shakespeare? Shakespeare? I once knew a man called Shaker. NEEKS: No, it's Shakespeare--Mr. William Shakespeare. SIR WEBLEY: Shakespeare? Shakespeare? Do _you_ know anything about him? NEEKS: Well, I don't exactly recall--I made sure that you---- SIR WEBLEY: The Secretary ought to be more careful. Waiter! JERGINS: Yes, Sir Webley. [_He comes._ SIR WEBLEY: Coffee, Jergins. Same as usual. JERGINS: Yes, Sir Webley. SIR WEBLEY: And, Jergins--there's a man called Mr. William Shakespeare putting up for the Club. JERGINS: I'm sorry to hear that, Sir Webley. SIR WEBLEY: Yes, Jergins. Well, there it is, you see; and I want you to go up and ask Mr. Trundleben if he'd come down. JERGINS: Certainly, Sir Webley. SIR WEBLEY: And then get my coffee. JERGINS: Yes, Sir Webley. [_He goes slowly away._ NEEKS: He'll be able to tell us all about him. SIR WEBLEY: At the same time he should be more careful. NEEKS: I'm afraid--I'm afraid he's getting rather, rather old. SIR WEBLEY: Oh, I don't know, he was seventy only the other day. I don't call that too old--nowadays. He can't be now, he can't be more than, let me see, seventy-eight. Where does this Mr. Shaker live? NEEKS: Shakespeare. Somewhere down in Warwickshire. A village called Bradford, I think, is the address he gives in the Candidates' Book. SIR WEBLEY: Warwickshire! I do seem to remember something about him now. If he's the same man I certainly do. William Shakespeare, you said. NEEKS: Yes, that's the name. SIR WEBLEY: Well, I certainly have heard about him now you mention it.