further? Why does this scene last so long? The author gets unpleasantly hot. Perhaps the play is too long. My God! it is dragging along endlessly without any action. The author now perspires in agony; “I ought to have cut it here, it is weak, it is rotten, impossible; meaningless—and why don’t they play it faster? Perhaps it would be better if I were to stand up and scream out: ‘Wait a moment! I will cut it!’”
God be praised! it is over. Now comes the most important part of the exposition, the key to the whole plot, a short, exciting conversation, three pages long, and then a quick finish. But the author’s hair stands on end with horror. For Katie, who should only enter by rights five minutes later, now precipitates herself on to the stage: Katie, who should only enter after the three pages are past. My God! what can be done about it? The author wants to scream out: “Curtain! Let down the curtain!” but his throat is dry with fright. The other two players on the stage stand there like two stuck pigs,
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