. A
gentleman of your experience can decide at once whether a plot or story
is one to take the public!"

So then he drew out, in full, the three plots. He wrote these plots in
verse! Heaven forgive us all, he really did. There were also two margins
left; on one, which was narrow, he jotted down the _locale_ per page of
the most brilliant passages; on the other margin, which was as wide as
the column of the plot, he made careful drawings of the personages in
the principal dramatic situations; scrolls issued from their mouths,
on which were written the words of fire that were flowing from each in
these eruptions of the dramatic action. All was referred to pages in the
manuscripts.

"By this means, sir," resumed the latter, "you will gut my fish in
a jiffy; permit me to recall that expression, with apologies for my
freedom. I would say, you will, in a few minutes of your valuable
existence, skim the cream of Triplet."

This author's respect for the manager's time carried him into further
and unusual details.

"Breakfast," said he, "is a quiet meal. Let me respectfully suggest,
that by placing one of my plots on the table, with, say, the sugar-basin
upon it (this, again, is a mere suggestion), and the play it appertains
to on your other side, you can readily judge my work without disturbing
the avocations of the day, and master a play in the twinkling of a
teacup; forgive my facetiousness. This day month, at ten of the clock, I
shall expect," said Triplet, with sudden severity, "sir, your decision!"

Then, gliding back to the courtier, he formally disowned all special
title to the consideration he expected from Mr. Rich's well-known
courtesy; still he begged permission to remind that gentleman that he
had, six years ago, painted for him a large scene, illuminated by two
great poetical incidents: a red sun, of dimensions never seen out of
doors in this or any country; and an ocean of sand, yellower than up to
that time had been attained in art or nature; and that once, when the
audience, late in the evening, had suddenly demanded a popular song from
Mr. Nokes, he (Triplet), seeing the orchestra thinned by desertion, and
nugatory by intoxication, had started from the pit, resuscitated with
the whole contents of his snuff-box the bass fiddle, snatched the
leader's violin, and carried Mr. Nokes triumphantly through; that
thunders of applause had followed, and Mr. Nokes had kindly returned
thanks _for both;_ but that he (T