Whatever might be the nature of Mary Horneck's trouble, the killing of the man would be a step in the right direction.
It was not until his servant, John Eyles, had awakened him in the morning that he recollected receiving a letter from Colman which contained some unpleasant news. He could not at first remember the details of the news, but he was certain that on receiving it he had a definite idea that it was unpleasant. When he now read Colman's letter for the second time he found that his recollection of his first impression was not at fault. It was just his luck: no man was in the habit of writing more joyous letters or receiving more depressing than Goldsmith.
He hurried off to the theatre and found Colman in his most disagreeable mood. The actor and actress who had resigned their parts were just those to whom he was looking, Colman declared, to pull the play through. He could not, however, blame them, he frankly admitted. They were, he said, dependent for a livelihood upon their association with success on the stage, and it could not be otherwise than prejudicial to their best interests to be connected with a failure.
This was too much, even for the long suffering Goldsmith.
"Is it not somewhat premature to talk of the failure of a play that has not yet been produced, Mr. Colman?" he said.
"It might be in respect to most plays, sir," replied Colman; "but in regard to this particular play, I don't think that one need be afraid to anticipate by a week or two the verdict of the playgoers. Two things in this world are inevitable, sir: death and the damning of your comedy."
"I shall try to bear both with fortitude," said Goldsmith quietly, though he was inwardly very indignant with the manager for his gratuitous predictions of failure--predictions which from the first his attitude in regard to the play had contributed to realise. "I should like to have a talk with Mrs. Abington and Woodward," he added.
"They are in the green room," said the manager. "I must say that I was in hope, Dr. Goldsmith, that your critical judgment of your own work would enable you to see your way to withdraw it."
"I decline to withdraw it, sir," said Goldsmith.
"I have been a manager now for some years," said Colman, "and, speaking from the experience which I have gained at this theatre, I say without hesitation that I never had a piece offered to me which promised so complete a disaster as this, sir. Why,'t is like no other comedy that was ever wrote."