scheme.

Charles thereupon drew up his scheme. Verschoyle's wealth disposed of
the most captious member of his committee, whose meetings now became
more awful and ceremonious than ever. Even so much assembled intellect
could not resist the wealth that through the generations had been
gathered up to surround the gentle personality of Horace Biningham,
Lord Verschoyle, who smiled benignantly upon the strange company and,
all unconscious of the devastating effect upon them of his money, was
most humbly flattered to be in the presence of so many distinguished
persons.

The tenth meeting of the committee was arranged to be the most
critical. Charles was to read and expound the scheme upon which he had
been at work for years. The meeting was to be held at his own house,
and for this occasion only he implored Clara to be present as hostess,
and so eager was she to share in the triumph of that side of his
activities that she consented and was the only woman present. With
Professor Laverock in the chair, Mr Clott read the minutes of the last
meeting, upon which, as nothing had happened, there was no comment.
Clara sat in a corner by the door and looked from face to face, trying
in vain to find in any something of the fire and eagerness that was in
her Charles's, who, radiant and bubbling over with confidence, sat at a
little table in the centre of the room with his papers in front of him,
two enormous candles on either side, and his watch in his hand.

After formalities, Professor Laverock called upon Mr Mann to read his
scheme to the committee.... Rarely can a room have contained so much
eager idealism, rarely can so many mighty brains have been keyed up to
take their tune from one.

Charles smoothed out his paper, shook back his hair, arranged the cuffs
which he always wore in his desire to be taken for an English
gentleman. His hearers settled themselves in their chairs. He began:--

'Gentlemen, we are all here concerned to make the theatre a temple of
art, always open with a welcome to every talent, from that of the
highest and most creative vision to that of the most humble and patient
craftsman's life.'

'Ah!' some one sighed contentedly.

'We cannot expect such a theatre either from actors or from commercial
persons who would be much better engaged in selling boots or soap....
In Germany art is honoured. Nietzsche, whom I acknowledge as my
compeer, is to be commemorated with an enormous stadium upon a hi