body else to attempt to translate my inimitable play into a
language wholly inadequate to express its charm and subtlety!"

"Quite so," the actor remarked sympathetically; "but still, since the
deed has been done, M. Graillot, and since we are going to produce the
result in the course of a fortnight or so, or lose a great deal of
money, don't you think that we had all better try our utmost to insure
the success of the production?"

"The only success I care for," Graillot thundered, "is an artistic
success!"

"With Miss Maurel playing your leading part, M. Graillot," the
actor-manager declared, "not to speak of a company carefully selected to
the best of my judgment, I think you may venture to anticipate even
that."

The dramatist bowed hurriedly to Louise.

"You recall to me a fact," he said gallantly, "which almost reconciles
me to this diabolical travesty of some of my lines. Proceed,
then--proceed! I will be as patient as possible."

The stage manager shouted out some directions from his box. A gentleman
in faultless morning clothes, who seemed to have been thoroughly
enjoying the interlude, suddenly adopted the puppetlike walk of a
footman. Other actors, who had been whispering together in the wings,
came back to their places. Louise advanced alone, a little languidly, to
the front of the stage. At the first sound of her voice M. Graillot,
nodding his head vigorously, was soothed.

Her speech was a long one. It appeared that she had been arraigned
before a company of her relatives, assembled to comment upon her
misdeeds. She wound up with a passionate appeal to her husband, Mr.
Miles Faraday, who had made an unexpected appearance. M. Graillot's
face, as she concluded, was wreathed in smiles.

"Ah!" he cried. "You have lifted us all up! Now I feel once more the
inspiration. _Mademoiselle_, I kiss your hand," he went on. "It is you
who still redeem my play. You bring back the spirit of it to me. In you
I see the embodiment of my _Therese_."

Miles Faraday gave a little sigh of relief and glanced gratefully toward
Louise. She nodded back to him and gave her hand to the Frenchman, who
held it to his lips.

"You flatter me, M. Graillot," she said. "It is simply that I feel the
force of your beautiful words. _Therese_ is a wonderful conception! As
to those disputed passages--well, I feel myself in a very difficult
position. Artistically, I am entirely in accord with you, and yet I
understand exactly what Mr.