_Hubert._ My lord, attend the happie tale I tell, For heauens health send Sathan packing hence That instigates your Highnes to despaire. If Arthurs death be dismall to be heard, Bandie the newes for rumors of vnthruth: He liues my Lord, the sweetest youth aliue, In health, with eyesight, not a hair amisse. This hart tooke vigor from this froward hand, Making it weake to execute your charge.
_Iohn._ What, liues he! Then sweete hope come home agen, Chase hence despaire, the purueyor for hell. Hye Hubert, tell these tidings to my Lords That throb in passions for yong Arthurs death: Hence Hubert, stay not till thou hast reueald The wished newes of Arthurs happy health. I go my selfe, the joyfulst man aliue To storie out this new supposed crime. (_Exeunt._)[46]
The author, though he got from this a suspense which carried his audience over to the performance of Part II on the next day, missed any real climax for Part I.
Inexperienced playwrights, in spite of good characterization and dialogue, frequently do not understand the value and the nature of real climax. Consequently, an audience feels that any interest it has given is cheated in the end. The following scenario, though its feebleness can hardly be traced solely to lack of climax, illustrates what is meant.
_Major Worthington_, an American financier;
_Dr Van Metre_, \ who do "team work" for the hand of _Kitty_. _Willy Squeam_, /
_Mme. Cavanaugh King_, a widow, _Kitty's_ aunt.
SCENE: _Den, off the ballroom of Major Worthington's home. Music from the ballroom is heard intermittently during the action._
DISCOVERED: _A group of guests who chatter and pass out, leaving Squeam and Van Metre. They talk of the attractions of Kitty, the débutante, and make a wager as to who will win out. Each agrees to back the other up in case of failure. They go off as Mrs. King and Major Worthington enter. She reproves her brother for looking tired and uninterested on this occasion of his daughter's "coming out."_ _At length, exhausted by his sister's flippancy, he tells her that they are financially ruined, and that the crash will come on the morrow. Mrs. King is distracted, but they both brighten as Kitty enters in a whirl. She is radiantly happy, and hugs one and then the other, then both. Enter Richter, a stalwart young westerner, who does not know how to dance. They congratulate him on his little volume of verses which has just been published. After promising to sit out a dance with him, Kitty sends him off to talk with Miss Smithkins. He picks up a rose which Kitty has dropped and goes off with it. Enter Dr. Van Metre and Squeam. Exeunt Major Worthington and Mrs. King. Van Metre and Squeam take turns in proposing to Kitty. Enter Mrs. King, to whom Squeam finds himself making violent love, mistaking her for Kitty. He starts to bolt, but she lays hold of him, and they go off together. Kitty and Van Metre go of to dance, she laughing at his ardent protestations. Enter Major. He takes out a revolver from his writing desk, and puts it back as some dancers pass through. Enter Emil, and the two exeunt arm-in-arm. Enter Mrs. King and Kitty. Mrs. King bluntly tells Kitty their financial straits, and adds that Kitty must give up any sentimental feelings she has for Richter, and must, if she gets the chance, accept Van Meter or Squeam on the spot. With this, she hastily departs, leaving Kitty in tears. The tears turn to dimples the moment Richter appears, and she tries to shock him into a dislike for her. Nevertheless, he makes a clumsy effort at proposing which is interrupted by Van Metre, then Squeam, then both, who insist on taking her to supper. She dismisses them. (Soft music.) Richter proposes, and Kitty refuses him, telling him the reason frankly, as her aunt has just given it to her. He reprimands her for having mercenary motives, and makes an eloquent plea for the equality of men. Enraged, she leaves the room, but quickly returns and throws herself into his arms. Enters Mrs. King hastily, and says they may go right on embracing, as the Major has just received a telegram stating that he has won out in a law suit involving millions of dollars' worth of iron mines. Enter the Major hilarious. Enter Squeam and Van Meter. They shake hands and declare the wager off. Enter the dancers from a cotillion figure. They are arrayed in grotesque paper hats and bonnets and garlands of paper flowers. They circle about Kitty and Richter, and pelt them with paper flowers. Exeunt. Tableau: Kitty and Richter looking into firelight._