elf.

Within a week he got the rehabilitated love-business in place, and the
play ready to show to Godolphin again. He had managed to hold the actor
off in the meantime, but now he returned in full force, with suggestions
and misgivings which had first to be cleared away before he could give a
clear mind to what Maxwell had done. Then Maxwell could see that he was
somehow disappointed, for he began to talk as if there were no
understanding between them for his taking the play. He praised it
warmly, but he said that it would be hard to find a woman to do the
part of Salome.

"That is the principal part in the piece now, you know," he added.

"I don't see how," Maxwell protested. "It seems to me that her character
throws Haxard's into greater relief than before, and gives it more
prominence."

"You've made the love-business too strong, I think. I supposed you would
have something light and graceful to occupy the house in the suspense
between the points in Haxard's case. If I were to do him, I should be
afraid that people would come back from Salome to him with more or less
of an effort, I don't say they would, but that's the way it strikes me
now; perhaps some one else would look at it quite differently."

"Then, as it is, you don't want it?"

"I don't say that. But it seems to me that Salome is the principal
figure now. I think that's a mistake."

"If it's a fact, it's a mistake. I don't want to have it so," said
Maxwell, and he made such effort as he could to swallow his disgust.

Godolphin asked, after a while, "In that last scene between her and her
father, and in fact in all the scenes between them, couldn't you give
more of the strong speeches to him? She's a great creation now, but
isn't she too great for Atland?"

"I've kept Atland under, purposely, because the part is necessarily a
negative one, and because I didn't want him to compete with Haxard at
all."

"Yes, that is all right; but as it is, _she_ competes with Haxard."

After Godolphin had gone, Louise came down, and found Maxwell in a
dreary muse over his manuscript. He looked up at her with a lack-lustre
eye, and said, "Godolphin is jealous of Salome now. What he really wants
is a five-act monologue that will keep him on the stage all the time. He
thinks that as it is, she will take all the attention from him."

Louise appeared to reflect. "Well, isn't there something in that?"

"Good heavens! I should think you were going to play Haxard, to