"I am. Did you enjoy the performance?"

"Jing Yi! This is the mastermind of tonight's show. Talbot Estus, this is my friend Jing Yi, an actor of great talent." He's speaking a bit quicker than usual, he's excited, obviously.

"It was enjoyable." No thanks to the script.

"Anyhow, I don't mean to ramble to you - although I could if you wish, ha ha! - when will the next showing be?"

"Tomorrow, I believe... that is, if Mr. Noble doesn't cancel the show because of all this unpleasantness. The man has no commitment to art."

"Here's hoping that doesn't happen. It was a shame about the... interruption? But if there's another showing, Terrence is sure to come along. Speaking of which, people have started to head back home, and it might be time we do to?" he says to Terrence.

"I shall make time if I possibly can. I really need to experience that ending again. You know me too well, Jing Yi!

"Um, should you have any trouble with the, uh, theater, I could - well, I have some theater connections, I could potentially help find you some alternate venue. A worse venue, certainly, and on very short notice. But still better than no show at all. I just think people need to see The King in Yellow. I don't - well, I'd be honored to try, should you need it." And Terrence hands Talbot Estus a business card.

"Thank you very much, Mr."-- he glances at the card-- "Markham."

"Uh, yes, excuse me, Terrence Markham. I work at the university. Anyhow. Thank you again. Truly inspiring work."

Jing Yi is torn between the fact that he does kind of want to see how this ends, and the fact that plays do not usually ever erupt into violence, and he would very much like that to remain a personal one off.

"Thank you! I am always pleased to meet a fan. It's such a life-changing work."

"Truly." Heart eyes.

"Since I first read it two years ago I've reread it maybe twenty times. It inspires all my artistic output now-- makes it more driven, more insightful--"

...not made him any better at writing dialogue...

Well, if Terrence isn't being dragged out - "Oh! I can only imagine - I'm something of a historian and even there I find it colors all my works, I mean, the things he does with language, there's no parallel anywhere but you see elements of it all over antiquity - speaking of which, I simply adored The Revenant King-"

"Oh, I'm so glad-- the reviews were awful but as I always say, true art is never appreciated in its time--"

Oh no, he is being trapped in another conversation about the King in Yellow. ...and okay, he appreciates it as a work more, but being trapped with Terrence and the playwright with this particular topic of conversation, is not ideal. "I think our friends might be wondering where we are right now. --Or wondering where you are, at least."

"I wouldn't want to keep you," Talbot says.

He starts to walk with them towards the door.

"You must stick with it. You are doing the lord's work. ...Again, an honor meeting you, Mr. Estus!"

Thank you Talbot, all you crimes against script writing are forgiven. "Very nice meeting you, as well!" He speaks in an undertone to Terence. "The London theatrical world isn't that big. If you want, I can probably get you in touch with at least some of the actors." You know, as a nice gesture considering he is dragging him away.

"You are a saint," in a starstruck return undertone to Jing Yi.

As they approach the door, Estus looks up nervously at the sky and seems relieved that the stars are safely covered by the fog and the clouds.

What a quirky dude this Estus is!