WITNESS: It’s not for me to say—only to tender my evidence. MR. WALTERS: I believe you have written a Drama? WITNESS: Once, many years ago, when a young man, I did write a Tragedy. A dreadful admission! I hope no other witness whose veracity is challenged—— MR. WALTERS: What was the name of that Tragedy? WITNESS: It is “The Thorn of Anxiety.” MR. WALTERS: Has it ever come out? WITNESS: No. MR. WALTERS: It is, I suppose, a work of great genius? WITNESS: I should not like to say. MR. WALTERS: But all plays are! WITNESS: Do you think so! If you would like to read it, I should be delighted. MR. WALTERS: I don’t wish you to be modest. Dramatists usually are not. I suppose there are such things as good dramas and bad dramas? WITNESS: There are certainly bad dramas. MR. WALTERS: Just to give us your opinion: do you think yours was good or bad? WITNESS: I don’t know. I am naturally impressed in its favour, but several people—some people to whom I submitted it—they rather doubt it. MR. WALTERS: They don’t think there is any “Magic” in it? WITNESS: No. MR. WALTERS: I don’t want you to think for a moment that all dramatists are bad people. I only mean that you may possibly have written a bad drama. WITNESS: There are several dramatists on the Jury, and they can take their impression. MR. WALTERS: You would not give a reason why it has not come out? WITNESS: I don’t think it is up to me. If I am asked for a reason, one is I have had very little time to push its merits. MR. WALTERS: I suppose though, that even bad plays are produced sometimes? WITNESS: No doubt. MR. WALTERS: It’s not only the bad ones, though, that are accepted? WITNESS: No. MR. WALTERS: It must be a bad play that does not get accepted in these days? When a man of genius such as you—— WITNESS: Please; if you don’t mind. JUDGE: It is not in evidence that this man is a genius. THE FOREMAN: I respectfully submit that it is in evidence that he has written a play. JUDGE: Very true. MR. WALTERS: When a man of your ability, of some little ambition, cannot get his play accepted, he sometimes resorts to other means—other than the ordinary means? WITNESS: I could not tell you. I have only tried the ordinary. MR. WALTERS: You are a legal gentleman? WITNESS: No, sir. MR. WALTERS: You are connected with the law? WITNESS: No, sir. MR. WALTERS: Not connected with a lawyer? WITNESS: No, sir. MR. WALTERS: Know nothing about the law? WITNESS: I wouldn’t say that. I thought all Englishmen were supposed to understand the Statutes under which they live. I am in the office of a barrister who is not acting as a barrister, but as Receiver and Manager of two large estates. MR. WALTERS: And therefore no lawyer. WITNESS: It is not for me to say that. MR. WALTERS: Do you think you can give a straightforward answer to any plain question? WITNESS: I think I have done so.