[1] Axel Swinborne is a celebrated stage star who wants to relax, and takes the train on vacation.

Sometimes rotten eggs are thrown at the amateur troupe, and sometimes the drunken men in the audience become violent or touch Lydia.

He thinks Lydia has talent and offers to do whatever it takes to make her big as a theatre artist, but on a much more professional basis.

At the next theatrical performance, he swaps the blanks of a revolver needed for the play for real ammunition and shoots his scene partner Lydia on stage.

As a wedding present, the prince had given Lydia a life-size statue of herself dressed for one of her theatrical roles, situated in a public park.

Swinborne joins them, but his decline is unmistakable: the once-celebrated actor is only allowed to hand out show bills for the performances.