The Merchant of Vengeance (Shakespeare & Smythe 4)

"Indeed," said Shakespeare. "No one was truly blameless in this sad affair. 'Tis one of those tales where in the end, the stage is littered with victims."

"Truly, not even Marlowe could have penned a more dramatic tale," said Tom Pope.

"I am beginning to grow rather tired of hearing about Marlowe," Shakespeare replied testily.

"Indeed, he does seem to vex you. It does not see

m as if the Rose Theatre is big enough for both of you," said Smythe with a smile.

"It does rather make one miss the good old days at our old theatre with the Burbages," said Shakespeare.

"Hark! Did I hear someone mention my name?" a ringing voice called out from behind them.

"Dick!" said Smythe.

They all turned as Richard Burbage came up to their table, grinning from ear to ear. "Well met, my friends! Well met!"

"Well met, Dick!" Hemings exclaimed, jumping up and clapping him upon the back. "'Tis good to see you once again, old friend! How goes it at the Theatre?"

"Well, 'tis funny you should ask," said Burbage. "I shall tell you how goes it at the Theatre. The Theatre goes, is how it goes!"

'The Theatre goes?" said Pope, raising his eyebrows. "What do you mean it goes?"

"It goes is precisely what I mean," said Burbage with a big grin.

He winked at them. "It goes straight across the river!"

"What goes across the river" Smythe asked with a frown.

"The Theatre does!" said Burbage, slapping him on the back with a laugh. "Listen well, my friends. Are you all up for a bit of mischief?"

"Always," Speed replied. "What did you have in mind?"

"Just this: You will recall, no doubt, our old adversary, our money-grubbing landlord? Well, after all of his repeated threats, the rascal has finally decided not to renew our lease. And so, since he owns the land upon which the Theatre sits, he thinks in this way to seize the Theatre for himself, the bounder! But whilst he may own the land, my father and lawn the building. And so, my friends… we are going to move it!"

"What?" said Shakespeare. "Move the entire theatre, do you mean?"

"Precisely!" Burbage said.

"But… how the devil do you plan on doing that?"

"We are going to tear it down completely, and then move the timbers by boat across the river to Southwark, where we shall use them to build a brand-new theatre, even better than the first!"

"You mean the one you told us you had planned?" asked Smythe.

"The very one," Burbage replied. "I had told you that the day would come when we would all play upon the same stage once again, did I not? Well, that day is here! And that very stage is now going to be built! We are going to construct the Globe, my friends!"

"When?" asked Shakespeare.

"It begins tonight!" said Burbage. "Tonight?" they all said at once.

"We must move swiftly, like the wind!" Burbage said. "We must have the building completely torn down by the morning, and the timbers loaded up on boats and floated 'cross the river afore our landlord can seize the property! The carpenters are standing by! What do you say, my friends? Are you with me?"

"We are with you!" Smythe replied at once, getting up from his seat.

"We are your very men!" said Shakespeare, rising to join him.

"Come then, my friends, and let us all away!" said Burbage.