On the stage, the beginners for the first piece had taken their places — the chorus were there, scared but determined, and in the wings waited Harlequin, in the person of Charles Lyall […]

Then there was a rich man in the mount of Carmel that hight Nabal, and on a time he sheared and clipped his sheep, to whom David sent certain men, and bade them say that David greeted him well, and whereas aforetimes his shepherds kept his sheep in desert, he never was grevious to them, ne they lost not much as a sheep as long as they were with us, and that he might ask his servants for they could tell, and that he would now in their need send them what it pleased him.

He could not think it painting, which had been the means of raising him out of sleep to the present happy waking. Nor was it the lack of public recognition which had bedrowsed him, since he had never fairly sought it […]

Pretty Pia from the buttery was a slut who was working her way through every knight in the castle.