Mrs. de Vere Carter was to write the play herself.  At first she decided on Cinderella.  Unfortunately there was a dearth of little girls in the neighbourhood, and therefore it was decided at a meeting composed of Mrs. de Vere Carter, Mrs. Clive, Mrs. Brown (William’s mother), and Ethel (William’s sister), that William could easily be dressed up to represent one of the ugly sisters.  It was, however, decided at a later meeting, consisting of William and his mother and sister, that William could not take the part.  It was William who came to this decision.  He was adamant against both threats and entreaties.  Without cherishing any delusions about his personal appearance, he firmly declined to play the part of the ugly sister.  They took the news with deep apologies to Mrs. de Vere Carter, who was already in the middle of the first act.  Her already low opinion of William sank to zero.  Their next choice was little Red Riding Hood, and William was lured, by glowing pictures of a realistic costume, into consenting to take the part of the Wolf.  Every day he had to be dragged by some elder and responsible member of his family to a rehearsal.  His hatred of Cuthbert was only equalled by his hatred of Mrs. de Vere Carter.

“He acts so unnaturally,” moaned Mrs. de Vere Carter.  “Try really to think you’re a wolf, darling.  Put some spirit into it.  Be—­animated.”

William scowled at her and once more muttered monotonously his opening lines: 

    “A wolf am I—­a wolf on mischief bent,
     To eat this little maid is my intent.”

“Take a breath after ‘bent,’ darling.  Now say it again.”

William complied, introducing this time a loud and audible gasp to represent the breath.  Mrs. de Vere Carter sighed.

“Now, Cuthbert, darling, draw your little sword and put your arm round Joan.  That’s right.”

Cuthbert obeyed, and his clear voice rose in a high chanting monotone.

    “Avaunt!  Begone!  You wicked wolf, away! 
     This gentle maid shall never be your prey.”

“That’s beautiful, darling.  Now, William, slink away. Slink away, darling.  Don’t stand staring at Cuthbert like that.  Slink away.  I’ll show you.  Watch me slink away.”

Mrs. de Vere Carter slunk away realistically, and the sight of it brought momentary delight to William’s weary soul.  Otherwise the rehearsals were not far removed from torture to him.  The thought of being a wolf had at first attracted him, but actually a wolf character who had to repeat Mrs. de Vere Carter’s meaningless couplets and be worsted at every turn by the smiling Cuthbert, who was forced to watch from behind the scenes the fond embraces of Cuthbert and Joan, galled his proud spirit unspeakably.  Moreover Cuthbert monopolised her both before and after the rehearsals.

“Come away, Joan, he’th prob’bly all over coal dutht and all of a meth.”

The continued presence of unsympathetic elders prevented his proper avenging of such insults.