“I’m not trying to be.”
When they approach the green, they both stop to stare at the fire, which is greatly diminished but still hot enough to warm their faces and hands from a couple dozen yards away.
“The thing is, there’s plenty Icantell you about that fire at the Globe,” says Anderson. “I can tell you it took a year to rebuild the theater and that doing so nearly bankrupted the King’s Men. I can tell you the whole business ruined Shakespeare’s health and signaled the beginning of the end of his career.”
“Really?”
Anderson nods, and they begin moving again, in the direction of the tavern.
“There’s been a lot written about that fire over the years. But no one’s ever identified the man who lit the fuse.”
Jack looks at him. “Am I the man who lit the fuse in this scenario? Or is it Green?”
“Theaters catch fire, Jack. You can’t put all those pyrotechnics under one roof without occasionally running into problems.”
“This,” Jack says, waving his arms in the direction of the theater green, “feels like a fairly big problem.”
“I’ll give you that. But what I’m trying to say is that Placide’s not out to get anyone.”
“Except the city’s Negroes?”
“I’d argue he’s not even out to get them,” says Anderson.
Jack rolls his eyes. “Come on.”
“He’s just trying to create a diversion.”
“Once people start thinking it was slaves who set this fire, there’s going to be blood in the streets,” says Jack.
“Well, that would most certainly be a diversion, wouldn’t it?”
“Are you serious?”
“Of course not,” says Anderson. “But can you just trust that Placide knows what he’s doing?”
Jack doesn’t know that he can.
“He’s looking out for us. He is. And you, of all people, could use someone to look out for you.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
“Just that you’re in a different position than most of us,” says Anderson. “You don’t come from a family of actors.”
Jack acknowledges that this is a shortcoming. “You were raised in the theater?”
Anderson nods. “Same goes for Twaits and, of course, West. Young, Green, even Caulfield. Acting can be a dreadfully difficult profession to break into, if you don’t know the right people.”
“And Placide’s the right people?”
“A letter of introduction from Placide can get you a position at the Old American Company, the Southwark, even the new Theater Royal in New York.”
Jack would be thrilled to work anywhere half so grand. And if he should be allowed to act, he’d scarcely know what to make of himself.
“But that’s provided you don’t want to come back to Charleston with us.”
“Is that even an option anymore?”
“Of course it is. We’ll get through this. And, if you make good decisions, there will be plenty of opportunities for a boy like you.”
