COL. In blazes!
I find it very sparkling.

RUD. Brilliant! (the fire languishes)

COL. Too short its phrases.

RUD. Brevity's deemed a treasure.

COL. (taking the chair from RUDOLPH)
Your chair pray give me, author.

MAR. These foolish entr'actes merely make us shiver. Quickly!

RUD. (taking another portion of the MS.) Here is the next act.

MAR. (to COLLINE) Hush! not a whisper.

(RUDOLPH tears up the MS. and throws it into the fireplace; the flames revive. COLLINE moves his chair nearer and warms his hands. RUDOLPH is standing near the two with the rest of the MS.)

COL. How deep the thought is!

MAR. Color how true!

RUD. In that blue smoke my drama is dying
Full of its love-scenes ardent and new.

COL. A leaf see crackle!

MAR. Those were all the kisses.

RUD. (throwing the remaining MS. on the fire)
Three acts at once I desire to hear.

COL. Only the daring can dream such visions.

RUD., MAR. and COL. Dreams that in flame soon disappear.

(Applaud enthusiastically; the flame diminishes.)

MAR. Ye gods! see the leaves well-nigh perished.

COL. How vain is the drama we cherished.

MAR. They crackle! they curl up! they die!

MAR. and COL. The author—down with him, we cry.

(From the middle door two boys enter, carrying provisions and fuel; the three friends turn, and with a surprised cry, seize the provisions and place them on the table. COLLINE carries the wood