"Excellent," said I. "I should like to play the abbot. It would
be rather suitable, too. If you remember, 'they blest the Abbot
of Aberbrothok."'

"Why not?" said Berry. "We could have a very fervent little
scene with them all blessing you."

"And perhaps Heath Robinson would paint the scenery.

And so on.

In the end, Berry and Jonah had constructed quite a passable
little drama, by dint of drawing largely on Dumas in the first
place, and their own imagination in the second. There were one
or two strong situations, relieved by some quite creditable light
comedy, and all the 'curtains' were good. The village hall,
complete with alleged stage, was engaged, and half the county
were blackmailed into taking tickets. There were only twelve
characters, of which we accounted for five, and it was arranged
that we should all twelve foregather four days beforehand, to
rehearse properly. The other seven artists were to stay with us
at White Ladies for the rehearsals and performance, and generally
till the affair had blown over.

It was ten days before the date of the production that I was cast
for Buckingham. Six days to become word perfect. When three of
them had gone, I explained to the others that, for all their
jealousy, they would find that I should succeed in getting into
the skin of the part, and that, as it was impossible to polish my
study of George Villiers in the teeth of interference which