t you refuse it----'

'Things are very different now.... I have had a great welcome back to
London.'

'What do you think of a national theatre?'

'Every nation, every city, ought to have its theatre.'

'Mine is the best theatre in London.'

'You won't do _Volpone_? It is one of the finest comedies ever
written.'

'I never heard of its being done.'

Charles flung his drawings back into his portfolio, seized his hat,
crammed it on to his head, and had reached the door when Sir Henry
called him back.

'What do you say to _The Tempest_?'

'It doesn't need scenery.'

'Oh, come! The ship, the yellow sands. Prospero's cave--pictures all
the way--and the masque.... I want to do _The Tempest_ shortly and I
should be glad of your assistance.'

'I should expect you to buy my drawings and to pay me ten thousand
pounds.'

Sir Henry ignored that. He knew his man by reputation. Ten thousand
pounds meant no more to him than one and sixpence. He merely mentioned
the first figures that came into his head. Sir Henry resumed,--

'I want _The Tempest_ to be my first Autumn production. I place my
theatre at your disposal.... To be quite frank with you, that was why
I offered you that part. The theatre wants something new. The Russian
ballet has upset people. They are expecting something startling....
Poor old Smithson who has painted my scenery for twenty years is
horrified when I suggest anything of the kind.'

'If I do _The Tempest_ for you will you join my committee?'

'Er--I--er--You must give me time to think it over. You know we
managers have to think of each other.'

Charles began to wish he had not come. The suggestion of mysterious
influences behind Sir Henry alarmed him, and at home was the furious
energy in Clara forcing him into the embraces of this huge machine of a
theatre, which discarded his _Volpone_ and required him to do something
for which he had not the smallest inclination. Yet so implicit was his
faith in her, so wonderful had been his life since she came into it,
that he accepted the accuracy of her divination of the futility of his
procedure through artists and literary persons, who would feed upon his
fame and increase it to have more to devour.... He decided then to say
no more about his committee for the present, to accept Sir Henry's
offer, and to escape as quickly as possible from the stifling room,
with its horrible drawings, and its atmosphere in which were blended a
fas