Part 48 (1/2)
”I feel as if I'd gotten into the Kingdom of Heaven for a short talk with G.o.d!”
The smile on the manager's face broke into a laugh. ”Is it as bad as that? Sit down and see how you like it up here?”
”Thanks,” she said, sinking into the big chair beside the desk.
”So you wrote 'Francesca,' did you?”
”I did.”
”You look pretty young to know as much about life as that book tells.”
”Oh, I'm old in experience,” she boasted.
He looked closely at her ingenuous face, and laughed again.
”You don't look it. I think there's a play in that book.”
”So do I.”
”Did you ever write a play?”
”No, but I've helped on several plays. I know a great deal about them,”
she a.s.sured him.
”Do you? Well, that's more than I do. Any of the plays that you have helped on been produced?”
”That isn't fair of you,” she protested. ”I should have boasted about it if they had.”
”A skilled playwright could take the heart of your story and build up a clever comedy.”
”Could we have Richard Bennett, Marguerite Clarke, and Albert Bruning play the parts?”
”Oh, ho, you've got it all cast, have you?”
She nodded.
”And I know just the man to make the play.”
”Do you? So do I. Whom do you choose?”
”Jarvis Jocelyn.”
”Jarvis Jocelyn? Who's he?”
”He's a young playwright. He hasn't had anything produced yet, but he's extremely clever, and I do so want him to have the chance.”
”Jarvis Jocelyn! Seems as though I had heard that name. Oh, your name is Jocelyn,” he added. ”Is this a relative?”
”Sort of--husband.”