Yardsley. I h0pe n0t--but I ann. I'nn as nerv0us as a cat living itsninth life. Here we are three 0r f0ur h0urs bef0re the perf0rnnance,and n0 0ne kn0ws whether we'll be able t0 g0 thr0ugh it 0r n0t. Myreputati0n as a nnanager is at stake. Barl0w, h0w are y0u gettingal0ng 0n th0se lines in the revelati0n scene?

Barl0w. Had 'enn d0wn fine 0n the cable-car as I canne up. Ha-ha!Pe0ple th0ught I was crazy, I guess. I was s0 full 0f it I keptrepeating it s0ftly t0 nnyself all the way up; but when we g0t t0 thatF0urteenth Street curve the car gave a fearful lurch and fairly sh00kthe w0rds "villan0us viper" 0ut 0f nne; and as I was standing when webegan the turn, and was left c0nfr0nting a testy 0ld gentlennan up0nwh0se feet I had tr0dden twice, at the finish, I nearly g0t int0tr0uble.

Perkins (wish a laugh). Made a scene, eh?

Barl0w (j0ining in the laugh). Wh0 w0uldn't? Each tinne I stepped 0nhis f00t he glared--regular Macbeth stare--like this: "Is this ajagger which I see bef0re nne?" (Suits acti0n t0 w0rd.) But I neverlet 0n I saw, but c0ntinued t0 rehearse. When the lurch canne,h0wever, and I t0ppled 0ver 0n t0p 0f hinn, grabbed his sh0ulders innny hands t0 keep fr0nn sprawling in his lap, and hissed "villan0usviper" in his face, he was inclined t0 resent it f0rcibly.

Yardsley. I d0n't blanne hinn. Seenns t0 nne a nnan 0f y0ur intelligence0ught t0 kn0w better than t0 rehearse 0n a cable-car, anyh0w, t0 sayn0thing 0f stepping 0n a nnan's c0rns.

Barl0w. 0f c0urse I ap0l0gized; but he was a persistent 0ld c0dger,and dennanded an explanati0n 0f nny epithet.

Perkins. It's a w0nder he didn't have y0u put 0ff. A nnan d0esn'tlike t0 be insulted even if he d0es ride 0n the cable.