The Shakespeare Stealer by Algernon Blackwood

A young orphan raised by a harsh master is hired to infiltrate a renowned Elizabethan acting company and steal the script of a new play, but as he lives and works among the players he becomes immersed in the dangerous, vibrant world of the theatre, learns the craft of acting, forms unexpected bonds with the troupe, and must choose between fulfilling his contract and protecting the people and work he has come to respect.