"Ивлин Во. Экскурсия в жизнь (engl) " - читать интересную книгу автора

'Don't you think, sir, it would be better if Ophelia were Horatio's
sister. More poignant, if you see what I mean.'
'Yes, make a note of that...'
'I think we are losing sight of the essence of the story in the last
sequence. After all, it is first and foremost a Ghost Story, isn't it. ...'
And so from simple beginnings the story spread majestically. It was in
the second week that Sir James, after, it must be admitted, considerable
debate, adopted the idea of incorporating with it the story of Macbeth.
Simon was opposed to the proposition at first, but the appeal of the three
witches proved too strong. * The title was then changed to The White Lady of
Dunsinane, * and he and Miss Grits settled down to a prodigious week's work
in rewriting their entire scenarios.


4


The end came as suddenly as everything else in this remarkable episode.
The third conference was being held at an hotel in the New Forest* where Sir
James happened to be staying; the experts had assembled by train, car and
motor-bicycle at a moment's notice and were tired and unresponsive. Miss
Grits read the latest scenario; it took some time, for it had now reached
the stage when it could be taken as 'white script' ready for shooting. Sir
James sat sunk in reflection longer than usual. When he raised his head, it
was to utter the single word:
'No.'
'No?'
'No, it won't do. We must scrap the whole thing. We've got much too far
from the original story. I can't think why you need introduce Julius Caesar
and King Arthur at all.'
'But, sir, they were your own suggestions at the last conference.'
'Were they? Well, I can't help it. I must have been tired and not
paying full attention ... Besides, I don't like the dialogue. It misses all
the poetry of the original. What the public wants is Shakespeare, the whole
of Shakespeare and nothing but Shakespeare. Now this scenario you've written
is all very well in its way-but it's not Shakespeare. I'll tell you what
we'll do. We'll use the play
exactly as he wrote it and record from that. Make a note of it, Miss
Grits.'
'Then you'll hardly require my services any more?' said Simon.
'No, I don't think I shall. Still, nice of you to have come.'
Next morning Simon woke bright and cheerful as usual and was about to
leap from his bed when he suddenly remembered the events of last night.
There was nothing for him to do. An empty day lay before him. No Miss Grits,
no Miss Dawkins, no scampering off to conferences or dictating of dialogue.
He rang up Miss Grits and asked her to lunch with him.
'No, quite impossible, I'm afraid. I have to do the continuity for a
scenario of St John's Gospel before the end of the week. Pretty tough job.
We're setting it in Algeria so as to get atmosphere. Off to Hollywood next
month. Don't suppose I shall see you again. Good-bye.'