Don't ask me!" Then suddenly: "Why don't you buy the scenario and write the play yourself ?" "I don't care for the stage," I replied; "it's a sort of rude encaustic work I don't like; its effects are theatrical!" "A play pays far better than a book, you know--" But I was not interested.

That evening thinking over what he had said, I realised all at once that a story I had in mind to write would suit "the screen scene" of Oscar's scenario; why shouldn't I write a play instead of a story?
When we met next day I broached the idea to Oscar: "I have a story in my head," I said, "which would fit into that scenario of yours, so far as you have sketched it to me.

I could write it as a play and do the second, third and fourth acts very quickly, as all the personages are alive to me.

Could you do the first act ?" "Of course I could, Frank." "But," I said, "will you ?" "What would be the good, you could not sell it, Frank." "In any case," I went on, "I could try; but I would infinitely prefer you to write the whole play if you would; then it would sell fast enough." "Oh, Frank, don't ask me." The idea of the collaboration was a mistake; but it seemed to me at the moment the best way to get him to do something.

Suddenly he asked me to give him L50 for the scenario at once, then I could do what I liked with it.
After a good deal of talk I consented to give him the L50 if he would promise to write the first act; he promised and I gave him the money.[33] A little later I noticed a certain tension in his relations with Lord Alfred Douglas.