“It’ll take an hour.”
“We’ll do it in a quarter.”
“But in the meantime?”
“In the meantime we will play the play.”
“But, my God, don’t you realise that place is full of explosives? Even if we’re not blown up, the row——”
“And don’t you realise it is a battle scene we shall be playing?”
Then, as fast as his years would carry him, he hurried back to the stage.
“What orders, Guv’nor?” said Manning, who, through the open door of the scene entrance, could see the progress of the fire.
“Get all your men, Manning, everyone who is not actually playing, and clear the stuff from the emergency exits. The front of the house is impassable. Make a job of it, Manning, while I hold the audience.”
“Right!” said Manning. “Now, boys, every one of you.” He was stripping off his coat as Eliphalet heard his cue and walked on to the stage.