The servant enters.

Director. What is it?

Servant. Madame Szeniczey declares that she will not play the part. She has sent it back. Here it is. He hands the director the part.

Composer jumping up in a fright. How’s that? The prima donna? The principal part?

Director. Both of you, please calm down. Takes the part. Tell her that it’s fine, I consent.

Composer. But I beg you! My operetta’s principal role! Without Szeniczey we’re finished!

Director. Calm down, good master. To the servant. Just tell her it’s fine. See, I’ll put it here, under this lamp. He puts the bundle of papers in a visible place underneath the writing table’s lamp.

The servant exits.

Director. It’s not worth squandering a word on this. Be calm.

Composer. But if she doesn’t play the part.

Director. She’ll play it. Just sit down. Where did we leave off? I said, that I am not a moralist, but I can’t bear it when such poor girls, to earn their bread, are offered to me.

Composer absent-mindedly. To them?

Director. To me. Aren’t you listening? What’s the problem?

Composer. Forgive me, please, but I am so frightened just now on account of Szeniczey.

Director. I already told you, if you please, just leave it to me.

Composer. But without Szeniczey we’re finished.

Director. Trust Szeniczey to me. Where did we leave off? Right there, that I’m not a moralist. And why am I not a moralist? Dumas fils has written in his memoirs …

The servant enters.

Servant calmly reporting. Madame Szeniczey took a revolver out of her reticule and she wishes to first shoot Mr. Director down, then herself.

Director calmly hears the servant out, then continues speaking as if the servant had said nothing. Dumas fils has written in his memoirs, that the theater is in itself an immoral place. I do not proclaim that a different morality applies here, only that I am a gentleman who rejects these miserable lovers. You comprehend?

I didn’t get much done last night, but I pushed myself a bit tonight, for a combined total of six pages, which is the average pace I’ve set myself. I’m now up to nineteen pages finished, out of seventy-five total, just about a quarter of the way through.