"Do what you want, my friend," said the Bird of Benin, "but do not forget Tristouse Ballerinette, the woman of your future."
"Well said," said Croniamantal. "But I want to roar to you once more the plot of Ieximal Jelimite. Listen:
"A man buys a newspaper on the seashore. From the garden of a house at one side emerges a soldier whose hands are electric bulbs. A giant 10 feet tall descends from a tree. He shakes the newspaper vendor, who is of plaster and who in falling breaks to bits. At this moment a judge arrives. With strokes of a razor he kills everybody, while a leg which passes hopping crushes the judge with a kick in the nose, and sings a pretty little song."
"How wonderful!" said the Bird of Benin. "I shall paint the decoration, you have promised me that."
"That goes without saying," answered Croniamantal.[8]
[XI. DRAMATURGY]
On the following day Croniamantal went to The Theatre, which was meeting at Monsieur Pingu's, the financier. Croniamantal succeeded in gaining entry by bribing the doorman and the butler. He entered boldly the hall where The Theatre, its satellites, its stool-pigeons and its hired thugs were gathered.
CRONIAMANTAL
Ladies and Gentlemen of THE THEATRE, I have come to read you my play entitled Ieximal Jelimite.