"How are you,Charon?"said Shakespeare,as the Janitor assisted him on board."Any one here to-night?""Yes,sir,"said Charon."Lord Bacon is up in the library,and Doctor Johnson is down in the billiard-room,playing pool with Nero.""Ha-ha!"laughed Shakespeare."Pool,eh?Does Nero play pool?""Not as well as he does the fiddle,sir,"said the Janitor,with a twinkle in his eye.
Shakespeare entered the house and tossed up an obolus."Heads--Bacon;tails--pool with Nero and Johnson,"he said.
The coin came down with heads up,and Shakespeare went into the pool-room,just to show the Fates that he didn't care a tuppence for their verdict as registered through the obolus.It was a peculiar custom of Shakespeare's to toss up a coin to decide questions of little consequence,and then do the thing the coin decided he should not do.
It showed,in Shakespeare's estimation,his entire independence of those dull persons who supposed that in them was centred the destiny of all mankind.The Fates,however,only smiled at these little acts of rebellion,and it was common gossip in Erebus that one of the trio had told the Furies that they had observed Shakespeare's tendency to kick over the traces,and always acted accordingly.They never let the coin fall so as to decide a question the way they wanted it,so that unwittingly the great dramatist did their will after all.It was a part of their plan that upon this occasion Shakespeare should play pool with Doctor Johnson and the Emperor Nero,and hence it was that the coin bade him repair to the library and chat with Lord Bacon.
"Hullo,William,"said the Doctor,pocketing three balls on the break."How's our little Swanlet of Avon this afternoon?""Worn out,"Shakespeare replied."I've been hard at work on a play this morning,and I'm tired.""All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy,"said Nero,grinning broadly.
"You are a bright spirit,"said Shakespeare,with a sigh."I wish Ihad thought to work you up into a tragedy.""I've often wondered why you didn't,"said Doctor Johnson."He'd have made a superb tragedy,Nero would.I don't believe there was any kind of a crime he left uncommitted.Was there,Emperor?""Yes.I never wrote an English dictionary,"returned the Emperor,dryly."I've murdered everything but English,though.""I could have made a fine tragedy out of you,"said Shakespeare.
"Just think what a dreadful climax for a tragedy it would be,Johnson,to have Nero,as the curtain fell,playing a violin solo.""Pretty good,"returned the Doctor."But what's the use of killing off your audience that way?It's better business to let 'em live,Isay.Suppose Nero gave a London audience that little musicale he provided at Queen Elizabeth's Wednesday night.How many purely mortal beings,do you think,would have come out alive?""Not one,"said Shakespeare."I was mighty glad that night that we were an immortal band.If it had been possible to kill us we'd have died then and there.""That's all right,"said Nero,with a significant shake of his head.
"As my friend Bacon makes Ingo say,'Beware,my lord,of jealousy.'
You never could play a garden hose,much less a fiddle.""What do you mean my attributing those words to Bacon?"demanded Shakespeare,getting red in the face.
"Oh,come now,William,"remonstrated Nero."It's all right to pull the wool over the eyes of the mortals.That's what they're there for;but as for us--we're all in the secret here.What's the use of putting on nonsense with us?""We'll see in a minute what the use is,"retorted the Avonian.
"We'll have Bacon down here."Here he touched an electric button,and Charon came in answer.
"Charon,bring Doctor Johnson the usual glass of ale.Get some ice for the Emperor,and ask Lord Bacon to step down here a minute.""I don't want any ice,"said Nero.
"Not now,"retorted Shakespeare,"but you will in a few minutes.
When we have finished with you,you'll want an iceberg.I'm getting tired of this idiotic talk about not having written my own works.
There's one thing about Nero's music that I've never said,because Ihaven't wanted to hurt his feelings,but since he has chosen to cast aspersions upon my honesty I haven't any hesitation in saying it now.
I believe it was one of his fiddlings that sent Nature into convulsions and caused the destruction of Pompeii--so there!Put that on your music rack and fiddle it,my little Emperor."Nero's face grew purple with anger,and if Shakespeare had been anything but a shade he would have fared ill,for the enraged Roman,poising his cue on high as though it were a lance,hurled it at the impertinent dramatist with all his strength,and with such accuracy of aim withal that it pierced the spot beneath which in life the heart of Shakespeare used to beat.