In which the curious triumph of the Laughing Man inflames the envy of rival mountebanks and the ire of clergy, who conspire against the Green Box on grounds both sacred and civil, whilst the local authorities’ laissez-faire attitude affords a protective guise. Amidst the clamour of opposition and whispered intrigues, the spectacle’s allure only deepens, drawing ever larger crowds enchanted by the forbidden and mysterious.