HENSLOWE. Man, we must live! Can we fill the theatre on love and longing, and high words? Ay, when Marlowe does it to the sound of trumpets. But you--you’re not Marlowe. You know too much. Your gods are too much men and women. Who’ll pay sixpence for a heart-ache? and in advance too! Give us but two more ‘Romeo and Juliet’'s and you may be a great poet, but we close down. Another tragedy? No, no, no, we don’t ask that of you! We want light stuff, easy stuff. Oh, who knows as well as you what’s wanted? It’s a court play, my man! The French Embassy’s to be there and the two Counts from Italy, and always Essex and his gang, and you know _their_ fancy. Get down to it now, there’s a good lad! Oh, you can do it in your sleep! Lovers and lasses, and quarrels and kisses, like the two halves of a sandwich! But court lovers, you know, that talk verse--and between them a green cress of country folk and country song, daffodils and valentines, and brown bowls of ale--season all with a pepper of wit--and there’s your sandwich, there’s your play, as the Queen likes it, as we all like it! SHAKESPEARE. Ay, as you like it! There’s your title pat! But I’ll not serve you. I’m to live, not write. Tell that to the Queen! _A boy enters whistling and stops as he_ _sees_ SHAKESPEARE. Well, Hugh, what answer? BOY. None, sir! SHAKESPEARE. What? No answer? HENSLOWE. See here, Will! If you do not write me this play you have thrice promised, I’ll to the Queen--sick or mad I’ll to the Queen this very day for your physic--and so I warn you. SHAKESPEARE [_to the boy_]. Did you see--? BOY. The maid, sir! HENSLOWE. I’ll not see ‘The Rose’ in ruins for a mad-- SHAKESPEARE [_to the boy_]. But what did I bid you? BOY. Wait on the doorstep till Mistress Fitton came out, though I waited all night. But indeed, sir, she’s gone; for I saw her, though she did not see me. HENSLOWE. Oh, the Fitton! Now I see light through the wood! SHAKESPEARE. What’s that you say? HENSLOWE. I say that the Queen shall know where the blame lies. SHAKESPEARE. You lie. _I_ heard you. _I_ saw you twist your lips round a white name. HENSLOWE. Will! Will! Will! SHAKESPEARE. Did you not? HENSLOWE. Why, Will, you have friends, though you fray ’em to the parting of endurance. SHAKESPEARE. What’s this? HENSLOWE. I say you have friends that see what they see, and are sorry. SHAKESPEARE. Yes, I am blessed in one man and woman who do not use me as a beast to be milked dry. I have Marlowe and-- HENSLOWE. Marlowe? And I said, God forgive me, that you knew men and women! Marlowe! SHAKESPEARE. You speak of my friend.