‘No doubt I shall be snubbed,’ he said, ‘but I really feel I must protest. If this person is among us, I think we should all know who he is. He should be publicly exposed and dismissed. By us. As the Equity Representative I feel I should take this stand.’

Peregrine had not the faintest notion of what if any stand the Equity Representative was entitled to take.

He said grandly: ‘Properties belonging to the theatre have been misused. Rehearsal time interrupted. This is my affair: I propose to continue. The time for Equity to butt in may or may not arise in due course. If it does I shall advise you of it. At this stage I must ask you to sit down, Mr Barrabell.’

If he won’t sit down, he wondered, what the hell do I do?

‘Hear, hear,’ said Sir Dougal helpfully.

There was an affirmative murmur. Nina was heard to say she felt faint. Peregrine said: ‘Props, when did you last look under the lid of that dish?’

‘I never looked under it,’ said Props. ‘It was in place on the table which was carried on as soon as the curtains closed. The dish would have a plastic boar’s head for performance but not until the dress rehearsal.’

‘Was anyone there? A scene-shifter or an actor?’

‘The two scene-shifters who carried the table on. They went off on the other side. And him,’ said Props, jerking his head at Barrabell, ‘and the other ghost. The double. They got down under the table just before the curtains re-opened.’

‘Familiar business for Banquo,’ said Sir Dougal, and laughed.

‘What do you mean by that, may I ask?’ said Barrabell.

‘Oh, nothing. Nothing.’

‘I insist on an explanation.’

‘You won’t get one.’

‘Quiet, please,’ Peregrine shouted. He waited for a second or two and then said ‘Anyone else?’

‘Certainly,’ said a sepulchral voice. ‘I was there. But very briefly. I simply informed Macbeth of the murder. I came off downstage, prompt. Somebody was there with my claidheamh-mor. I seized it. I ran upstage, engaged it into my harness and entered near the throne as the curtains were re-opened. The previous scene,’ reminisced Gaston, ‘was that of the murder of Banquo. The claidheamh-mor would never have been used for that affair. It is too large and too sacred. An interesting point arises…’

He settled into his narrative style.

‘Thank you, Gaston,’ said Peregrine. ‘Very interesting,’ and hurried on. ‘Now, Banquo, you were there during this scene. At what stage did you actually get under the table, do you remember?’