An effective drama should make use of intimations, contain a secret made known to the spectator either at the beginning or toward the end. If the spectators know the secret but not the actors, the spectators get to enjoy their game of blind man's buff. If the spectator does not know the secret, his curiosity is increased and he remains interested;

an outburst of emotion, rage, indignation; [-]

a discovery;

a punishment (nemesis), a humiliation;

a careful resolution, either with or without a reconciliation;

a quid pro quo;

a parallellism;

a reversal (revirement), a rebuff, a well-prepared surprise.

November 17, 1900. [-] Just a word about the girl's (Eleonora’s) part.129 You know my weakness for Miss Bosse. I miss in her colleagues the fund of poetry and seriousness which she possesses; and her childlike figure is well suited for a girl with a pigtail down her back .

The role of her brother is no bravura part, but Palme would no doubt take it and give it a breath of his irresistible poetry.

If you, mon Directeur, would honor me by playing Lindqvist and give that terrible creature a touch of humor, I would be eternally grateful!

I believe it requires a girl (but with short hair) as Benjamin, for young rascals of that age are extremely unpoetic. [-]