Sound and Fury

PERSONS OF THE DRAMA

Mr. PENNE. . . . . . An Author Miss LORE. . . . . . An Amanuensis

SCENE — Workroom of Mr. Penne's popular novel factory.

MR. PENNE — Good morning, Miss Lore. Glad to see you so prompt. We should finish that June installment for the Epoch to-day. Leverett is crowding me for it. Are you quite ready? We will resume where we left off yesterday. (Dictates.) "Kate, with a sigh, rose from his knees, and — — "

Miss LORE — Excuse me; you mean "rose from her knees," instead of "his," don't you?

MR. PENNE — Er — no — "his," if you please. It is the love scene in the garden. (Dictates.) "Rose from his knees where, blushing with youth's bewitching coyness, she had rested for a moment after Cortland had declared his love. The hour was one of supreme and tender joy. When Kate — scene that Cortland never — "

Miss LORE — Excuse me; but wouldn't it be more grammatical to say "when Kate SAW," instead of "seen"?

MR. PENNE — The context will explain. (DICTATES.) "When Kate — scene that Cortland never forgot — came tripping across the lawn it seemed to him the fairest sight that earth had ever offered to his gaze."

Miss LORE — Oh!

MR. PENNE (dictates) — "Kate had abandoned herself to the joy of her new-found love so completely, that no shadow of her former grief was cast upon it. Cortland, with his arm firmly entwined about her waist, knew nothing of her sighs — "

MISS LORE — Goodness! If he couldn't tell her size with his arm around —

MR. PENNE (frowning) — "Of her sighs and tears of the previous night."

MISS LORE — Oh!

MR.PENNE (dictates) — "To Cortland the chief charm of this girl was her look of innocence and unworldiness. Never had nun — "

MISS LORE — How about changing that to "never had any?"

MR. PENNE (emphatically) — "Never had nun in cloistered cell a face more sweet and pure."

MISS LORE — Oh!

MR. PENNE (dictates) — "But now Kate must hasten back to the house lest her absence be discovered. After a fond farewell she turned and sped lightly away. Cortland's gaze followed her. He watched her rise — "

MISS LORE — Excuse me, Mr. Penne; but how could he watch her eyes while her back was turned toward him?