Stiggins's article was terrible. I am afraid he has killed the piece.'
'Don't you think it will run, then?'
'Well, that depends upon the public, of course. If they like it, I'll keep
it on.'
'How's the booking?'
'Not good.' Montague Ford moved his papers absent-mindedly. At the end of a
long silence he said, 'Even if the piece did catch on, it would take a lot
of working up to undo the mischief of those articles. Of course you can
rely on me to give it every chance. I shan't take it out of the bills if I
can possibly help.'
'There is my _Gipsy_.'
'I have another piece ready to put into rehearsal; it was arranged for six
months ago. I only consented to produce your play because--well, because
there has been such an outcry lately about art.... Tremendous part for me
in the new piece... I'm sure you'll like it.'
The business did improve, but so very slowly that Hubert was afraid Ford
would lose patience and take the play out of the bills. But while the fate
of the play hung in the balance, Hubert's life was being rendered
unbearable by duns. They had found him out, one and all; to escape being
served was an impossibility; and now his table was covered with summonses
to appear at the County Court.
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