"This is what I care about most. I'm willing to do it. All I'm asking you to do is help."
Nichol looks bleak. "I've seen this brand of madness before. I'm not about to try to save you. I'll stage this wretched thing. I'll give you your opening for whatever it is you're planning. But don't look for help from me."
He waves you away. "Go somewhere else while I explain this to the players. I won't have you trying to sweeten them. I need to know whether they'll play this as it's written, without your little asides about what you really mean."
You wait in the tavern for Nichol's meeting with the actors to finish.
You find that it's hard to keep your thoughts on theater. Once rehearsals start, especially the rehearsals for this play, you'll have little time to think of anything but making this performance come out as you intend for it to. But tonight, there might be somethin