Latest / The Importance of Being Earnest / Mary Broome - Allan Monkhouse

Transcript

Mary Broome - Allan Monkhouse · The Importance of Being Earnest

• 0:00
  Speaker 1: Act one of Mary Broom by Alan Munkhouse. This is
• 0:05
  Speaker 1: a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain.
• 0:10
  Speaker 1: For more information or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox dot Org.
• 0:16
  Speaker 2: Edward Timbrell read by Todd.
• 0:19
  Speaker 3: Missus Timbrel read by Elisabeth Klett.
• 0:23
  Speaker 4: Edgar Tymbrele read by mb Leonard Timbrell read by Lambdau.
• 0:29
  Speaker 5: Ada Timbrel read by Charlotte Duckett.
• 0:33
  Speaker 6: Sheila Ray read by Grace Garrett.
• 0:36
  Speaker 7: Mary Broom read by ri L. Lipshaw.
• 0:39
  Speaker 8: John Broom read by John Steigerwald.
• 0:42
  Speaker 9: Missus Broom read by Capricia Page.
• 0:46
  Speaker 10: Mister Pendleton read by Calm Dragon dot Net.
• 0:49
  Speaker 11: Missus Pendleton read by Tara Dow.
• 0:52
  Speaker 12: Missus Greaves read by Abbaye.
• 0:55
  Speaker 13: Might, read by Beth Thomas.
• 0:58
  Speaker 1: And narrator and stage directions read by Mary Anne Spiegel.
• 1:03
  Speaker 1: Act one, The drawing room of a Biggish suburban villa.
• 1:09
  Speaker 1: The furniture and et cetera are in middling taste. Edgar Timbrel,
• 1:15
  Speaker 1: an ordinary young man of nearly thirty in neat tweeds,
• 1:19
  Speaker 1: is sprawling self consciously on the sofa. Ada and Sheila
• 1:23
  Speaker 1: are opening a parcel. They are the ordinary middle class
• 1:28
  Speaker 1: young women who might develop in all manner of unexpected
• 1:31
  Speaker 1: ways and usually do not.
• 1:34
  Speaker 5: Come and look, Edgar, he's only pretending not to care.
• 1:38
  Speaker 6: Lend me your knife.
• 1:40
  Speaker 1: She takes it from him and cuts the string.
• 1:43
  Speaker 6: I brought this over without opening it, just so that
• 1:45
  Speaker 6: you see it too.
• 1:46
  Speaker 14: For Heaven's sake, remember who sent them all.
• 1:49
  Speaker 6: It's all right, Aida is keeping a list.
• 1:51
  Speaker 14: Well, get all the fun out of it you can.
• 1:53
  Speaker 1: You won't often have the chance of being married opening
• 1:56
  Speaker 1: the parcel.
• 1:58
  Speaker 6: Oh, how nice? What do you mean, Edgar, I've had
• 2:01
  Speaker 6: lots of chances.
• 2:03
  Speaker 14: You can't go on having them now though.
• 2:05
  Speaker 5: Let me see, Sheila.
• 2:07
  Speaker 6: No, that's why I want everything to be nice. Instead
• 2:10
  Speaker 6: of all those chances. I want one delightful reality, A
• 2:15
  Speaker 6: sweet little tea caddy. That's two. The other was bigger,
• 2:19
  Speaker 6: one delightful reality. Edgar. You've got to see to that.
• 2:22
  Speaker 14: I'll make a truly good husband.
• 2:24
  Speaker 6: I wasn't thinking of that. I was only thinking of
• 2:27
  Speaker 6: the wedding, one thing at a time. I want to
• 2:30
  Speaker 6: have the prettiest wedding that ever was something that I
• 2:34
  Speaker 6: can look back to. No hitches and stupidities and uglinesses.
• 2:39
  Speaker 5: Some people like Indiancy. You could have Indiancy at that one.
• 2:42
  Speaker 1: Enter Mary Broome, the housemaid. She is a comely young
• 2:47
  Speaker 1: woman in the housemaid's usual afternoon dress and with the
• 2:50
  Speaker 1: housemaid's usual self possession.
• 2:53
  Speaker 7: A parcel for you, sir, thank you?
• 2:56
  Speaker 14: Will you put it down anywhere?
• 2:59
  Speaker 3: Hurrah?
• 3:00
  Speaker 14: That's right, only my new silk cap.
• 3:03
  Speaker 1: Mary puts the box on a chair and is going
• 3:06
  Speaker 1: out when Edgar speaks.
• 3:08
  Speaker 14: Uh is mister leonard in?
• 3:10
  Speaker 8: Do you know?
• 3:11
  Speaker 7: I think he went upstairs?
• 3:12
  Speaker 4: Sir?
• 3:13
  Speaker 5: What do you want with him?
• 3:14
  Speaker 6: Let's see you in the new hat.
• 3:16
  Speaker 14: Well, it's just a notion I had. I'm afraid of forgetting.
• 3:20
  Speaker 14: I wonder if he's done anything about clothes and things.
• 3:23
  Speaker 14: He's fearfully casual, must I Do you want me? Sir?
• 3:27
  Speaker 4: No?
• 3:27
  Speaker 14: I think not. Thank you.
• 3:29
  Speaker 6: She goes out the new hat, the new hat, how jolly.
• 3:33
  Speaker 1: She begins to open the box.
• 3:35
  Speaker 5: You'd better speak to him while you think about it.
• 3:38
  Speaker 14: He's no good at ceremonial clothes. I believe he's only
• 3:41
  Speaker 14: got a frog coat.
• 3:42
  Speaker 6: Oh don't let us have a frot coat. I should
• 3:45
  Speaker 6: never forget it.
• 3:46
  Speaker 5: I'll go for him, I'll fetch him.
• 3:48
  Speaker 6: Yes, do ada no time like the present, Ada goes out, Edgar.
• 3:53
  Speaker 6: I wish Leonard wasn't coming to the wedding.
• 3:56
  Speaker 14: My dear girl.
• 3:57
  Speaker 6: Oh I know, I know, of course he must to
• 4:00
  Speaker 6: be best man. It would be all wrong if he wasn't.
• 4:02
  Speaker 6: But somehow he's so queer and different. I don't feel
• 4:05
  Speaker 6: safe with him, and I don't know what he'll do
• 4:07
  Speaker 6: or say. Of course he.
• 4:09
  Speaker 9: Can be charming.
• 4:10
  Speaker 6: I think he's a flirt. You always know when he's
• 4:12
  Speaker 6: in the room.
• 4:13
  Speaker 14: Well, of course, these artist people are very self conscious
• 4:17
  Speaker 14: and assertive.
• 4:18
  Speaker 6: But he's not assertive. He's he's seductive, and he makes
• 4:22
  Speaker 6: fun of things.
• 4:24
  Speaker 14: No harm in that, yes there is.
• 4:26
  Speaker 6: He makes fun of the wrong things. Why do you
• 4:29
  Speaker 6: call him an artist, Edgar? He's not one.
• 4:31
  Speaker 14: Oh he's artistic, literary and all that. It's all the same.
• 4:35
  Speaker 6: But he's a barrister, isn't he?
• 4:37
  Speaker 4: Oh?
• 4:37
  Speaker 14: Yes, his sorts. He never had a brief.
• 4:40
  Speaker 7: Then how does he?
• 4:41
  Speaker 6: I mean, how does he get an income? Why doesn't
• 4:43
  Speaker 6: he go into the business too?
• 4:45
  Speaker 14: Oh? Len him in the business. No, the old Peter
• 4:49
  Speaker 14: prefers to pay him a hand some allowance to keep out. Besides,
• 4:53
  Speaker 14: let him makes about five shillings a month by literature.
• 4:57
  Speaker 6: How horrid to be quite dependent like that? Why do
• 5:00
  Speaker 6: you let him bless you?
• 5:01
  Speaker 14: I don't want him in the business. Excuits me while
• 5:04
  Speaker 14: I'm not Hollo, He's coming.
• 5:07
  Speaker 1: Enter Ada and Leonard. Leonard is rather younger than Edgar,
• 5:12
  Speaker 1: a handsome young man with an air of detachment. His
• 5:16
  Speaker 1: manners are rather pleasantly impudent, and now disguise some harassment.
• 5:21
  Speaker 1: He is rather carefully dressed in what appears to be
• 5:23
  Speaker 1: a careless way.
• 5:25
  Speaker 4: I'm wanted, very much honored. I'm sure, my dear Sheila,
• 5:29
  Speaker 4: I kiss your hands.
• 5:31
  Speaker 6: You may shake one if you like.
• 5:33
  Speaker 1: He tries to kiss it, and she snatches it away.
• 5:37
  Speaker 4: What a pity.
• 5:38
  Speaker 6: Don't be so stupid.
• 5:40
  Speaker 4: You keep disappointing me. We should have done it very well.
• 5:43
  Speaker 5: Don't be absurd, Leonard, he will play the fool.
• 5:47
  Speaker 4: Well well, now the business about this wedding. Does the
• 5:51
  Speaker 4: best man kiss the bride?
• 5:53
  Speaker 3: Of course not?
• 5:54
  Speaker 6: Those vulgarities are out of date.
• 5:56
  Speaker 14: Deuce take it.
• 5:58
  Speaker 4: I only want to know. I want to play my
• 6:01
  Speaker 4: part like an English gentleman. Kissing in public except the
• 6:05
  Speaker 4: hands an atrocity. But if it has to be done,
• 6:09
  Speaker 4: it should be done. Firmly, no hesitations, no scrimmages. In fact,
• 6:15
  Speaker 4: there should always be a rehearsal very well, no kissing.
• 6:20
  Speaker 4: Now about Klaus, Yes, what are you going to wear, Lennard?
• 6:24
  Speaker 4: I shall wear my gray morning coat, trousers of about
• 6:28
  Speaker 4: the same color, but exquisitely striped white waistcoat, gray hat
• 6:34
  Speaker 4: with a narrow black band, and or kid the best
• 6:38
  Speaker 4: that money can buy, if any one will lend me
• 6:41
  Speaker 4: the money. Here I say, I know what you are
• 6:45
  Speaker 4: going to say, that I ought to just to dress
• 6:47
  Speaker 4: up to you.
• 6:48
  Speaker 6: Oh, he won't be sensible. I hope you won't go
• 6:51
  Speaker 6: and spoil things.
• 6:53
  Speaker 4: Spoil things, he reflects for a moment, confess that you
• 6:58
  Speaker 4: would like me to go away and telegraph that I
• 7:01
  Speaker 4: can't come to the wedding.
• 7:02
  Speaker 6: Oh no, but I want everything to be nice.
• 7:06
  Speaker 14: Do the thing.
• 7:06
  Speaker 4: Properly, leth properly. I want to do things more than properly.
• 7:11
  Speaker 4: I mean to write an ode to the marriage morning.
• 7:14
  Speaker 4: I'm afraid I shan't have time for more than a sonnet.
• 7:18
  Speaker 4: I have made a start. I've got a first line.
• 7:22
  Speaker 4: The choco on sun has tinged the mountain tops. Good
• 7:26
  Speaker 4: word chocun. The difficulty is to get three good rhymes
• 7:29
  Speaker 4: to tops. Of course, it might be crest mountain, crest,
• 7:33
  Speaker 4: but I don't like it. It's poetical. That's the worst of poetry. Nowadays.
• 7:39
  Speaker 4: You mustn't use poetical words.
• 7:41
  Speaker 14: There's no getting any sense out of you. But look here, Sheila,
• 7:44
  Speaker 14: and I want you to be decent over this affair.
• 7:47
  Speaker 14: Just get the right sort of thing in a new hat,
• 7:49
  Speaker 14: won't you. I'll tell you what to get if you like.
• 7:52
  Speaker 4: My dear fellow, I have the sense of clothes.
• 7:56
  Speaker 6: He knows well enough.
• 7:57
  Speaker 14: Edgar, Oh, come on, then downstairs.
• 8:01
  Speaker 5: I think so, Lenyard, you might open the window. The
• 8:04
  Speaker 5: room's close.
• 8:05
  Speaker 4: No Ada, You know it's not my business to open
• 8:08
  Speaker 4: the window. I always leave this kind of things to experts.
• 8:13
  Speaker 7: Well ring for Mary, Oh, no, I will do it.
• 8:16
  Speaker 1: He goes rather hastily to open the window. The others
• 8:20
  Speaker 1: go out. He stands looking out the window. Mary Broom
• 8:25
  Speaker 1: enters dubiously. She looks round the room and presently sees him.
• 8:30
  Speaker 1: She advances quickly towards him, and he turns around.
• 8:33
  Speaker 7: Oh, I say, you're packing a bag.
• 8:36
  Speaker 4: What for?
• 8:38
  Speaker 7: You can't be going away now?
• 8:40
  Speaker 4: You mustn't stop here. Anyone may come in after.
• 8:42
  Speaker 7: What I told you, you're going away? You couldn't do that.
• 8:46
  Speaker 4: And look here my mother's talking about having missed a photograph.
• 8:51
  Speaker 4: My photograph. You have never surely.
• 8:55
  Speaker 7: Yes, I took it.
• 8:56
  Speaker 4: Oh but that's madness.
• 8:59
  Speaker 7: I thought I had a right to it.
• 9:01
  Speaker 4: Well, get away, that's a good girl. We will talk
• 9:05
  Speaker 4: about things again.
• 9:06
  Speaker 7: How can you go away? Why are you packing your bag?
• 9:10
  Speaker 4: You have been spying in my room.
• 9:11
  Speaker 7: You know I have to go into your room.
• 9:14
  Speaker 4: Of course, I beg your pardon. Yes, I am going
• 9:17
  Speaker 4: away for two days.
• 9:19
  Speaker 7: There were ten shirts laid out.
• 9:21
  Speaker 4: I am lying. Yes, we can't talk here. Who's this?
• 9:27
  Speaker 4: Take care?
• 9:28
  Speaker 1: As missus Timbrow enters, he continues.
• 9:31
  Speaker 4: Well, I shall be much obliged if you will. The
• 9:35
  Speaker 4: brown boots, yes, more polish. I have never really been
• 9:39
  Speaker 4: quite ashamed of them.
• 9:41
  Speaker 1: Well, mother, He turns from Mary with an air of dismissal.
• 9:46
  Speaker 1: Mary moves away, but stops as Missus Timbrow occupies the doorway.
• 9:51
  Speaker 1: Missus Timbrel is startled, rather than surprised. She holds a
• 9:55
  Speaker 1: small framed photograph in her hand.
• 9:57
  Speaker 3: I've found your photograph. You have no right in my room, Leonard.
• 10:03
  Speaker 3: I can't believe Leonard.
• 10:05
  Speaker 1: She has advanced into the room, having closed the door.
• 10:09
  Speaker 1: It opens, and mister Timbril enters gaily with Sheila on
• 10:12
  Speaker 1: his arm. He is a rather precise man, condescending to geniality,
• 10:18
  Speaker 1: obviously righteous according to his lights, and obstinately trustful of them.
• 10:24
  Speaker 1: Missus Timbrel's general attitude to him is a rather tired acquiescence,
• 10:29
  Speaker 1: which sometimes stops short of submission. Ada and Edgar follow closely.
• 10:35
  Speaker 2: Let's see the latest, then, where's the sweetly pretty tea caddy?
• 10:39
  Speaker 2: Have you seen it? My dear?
• 10:41
  Speaker 1: His speech peters out as he sees his wife's face
• 10:45
  Speaker 1: and the attitudes of the group, of whom Leonard alone
• 10:47
  Speaker 1: attempts to maintain an ordinary appearance.
• 10:50
  Speaker 2: Why, what's the matter.
• 10:52
  Speaker 4: You'd better let mey go, mother. You can't scold her
• 10:56
  Speaker 4: in public like this. Besides, it was only a drifle.
• 11:01
  Speaker 2: I must know, what what a scolding? What have you
• 11:06
  Speaker 2: been doing?
• 11:07
  Speaker 8: Mary? Come?
• 11:08
  Speaker 2: Come? Never mind, run away, run away. I'll speak up
• 11:12
  Speaker 2: for you.
• 11:12
  Speaker 7: Mary to Leonard, must I go?
• 11:15
  Speaker 4: I suppose so? Certainly?
• 11:18
  Speaker 7: Will you speak up for me?
• 11:20
  Speaker 2: What's this? What's this?
• 11:22
  Speaker 1: Mary makes for the door, Sheila standing aside.
• 11:25
  Speaker 15: Hastily, Stop a bit, Stop, a bit.
• 11:28
  Speaker 1: There is a pause, and Timbrel looks at Leonard and
• 11:31
  Speaker 1: then at his wife.
• 11:32
  Speaker 2: What's that in your hand?
• 11:34
  Speaker 1: Missus? Timbrel hesitates, but as her husband waits, she turns
• 11:39
  Speaker 1: the photograph towards him.
• 11:41
  Speaker 2: Leonard's photograph, the one you lost? Well, where was it?
• 11:45
  Speaker 4: I think you might allow Mary to go?
• 11:48
  Speaker 2: Where was it?
• 11:49
  Speaker 1: He speaks to his wife, but she is silent. He
• 11:53
  Speaker 1: looks at Mary, it was in my room. To Ada,
• 11:56
  Speaker 1: you and Sheila had better go half turning to Edgar silent,
• 12:00
  Speaker 1: Why was it in your room? Sheila and Ada have
• 12:03
  Speaker 1: moved toward the door. They remain possessed with a natural
• 12:08
  Speaker 1: and intense curiosity.
• 12:10
  Speaker 7: I had the right to it. If anyone had you
• 12:12
  Speaker 7: took it from his mother's room. Well, I shall be
• 12:16
  Speaker 7: a mother soon.
• 12:17
  Speaker 1: Timbrel sits down and sinks back into the chair. Sheila
• 12:21
  Speaker 1: and Ada go out quickly to Mary.
• 12:24
  Speaker 3: Sit down, my dear.
• 12:26
  Speaker 1: Edgar gives Mary a chair. She sits down.
• 12:30
  Speaker 7: Thank you, ma'am.
• 12:31
  Speaker 4: Beautiful, beautiful? What I said? It was beautiful?
• 12:37
  Speaker 2: What's beautiful?
• 12:38
  Speaker 4: Mary? And my mother? And you? If you like the
• 12:43
  Speaker 4: whole thing?
• 12:45
  Speaker 2: What does he mean?
• 12:46
  Speaker 14: Is your chary beautiful too?
• 12:48
  Speaker 4: That doesn't matter. I see it all.
• 12:51
  Speaker 2: To Mary, what are you stopping here for? Have you
• 12:54
  Speaker 2: no sense of shame?
• 12:56
  Speaker 1: Mary stands up.
• 12:57
  Speaker 2: I don't want to be hard on you. I dare
• 13:00
  Speaker 2: say you're less to blame than he is. I don't know.
• 13:03
  Speaker 2: It's a disgraceful affair. Disgraceful. Now be off, be off,
• 13:07
  Speaker 2: please go.
• 13:09
  Speaker 7: But I want to hear what he says.
• 13:11
  Speaker 2: Yes, so do I.
• 13:12
  Speaker 4: The devil of it is that I say anything. If
• 13:15
  Speaker 4: you get me into a fix, I just want to
• 13:18
  Speaker 4: get out of it.
• 13:19
  Speaker 2: That's your character, is it?
• 13:21
  Speaker 4: From your point of view? Sir? I am afraid I
• 13:24
  Speaker 4: am a bad lord?
• 13:26
  Speaker 2: What good are you to anybody? Why were you born?
• 13:29
  Speaker 4: That's your concern Sir?
• 13:31
  Speaker 2: Don't bandy words with me. You should be down on
• 13:34
  Speaker 2: your knees asking pardon of this poor girl, of your mother,
• 13:37
  Speaker 2: of your god? What are such things to you?
• 13:41
  Speaker 4: I am extremely sorry. Of course I have no defense.
• 13:45
  Speaker 4: I should have to go back to some kind of
• 13:46
  Speaker 4: first principles, and even then it would be a bit shaky.
• 13:51
  Speaker 4: I dare say, Mother, it's horrible for you. I see that.
• 13:56
  Speaker 2: What have you nothing to say? Do you think this
• 13:59
  Speaker 2: is adequate? What are you going to do? What's your
• 14:02
  Speaker 2: way out.
• 14:03
  Speaker 4: You have a better head than I have, sir, for
• 14:06
  Speaker 4: these practical matters.
• 14:08
  Speaker 2: You are a callous and impudent fellow to marry. What
• 14:11
  Speaker 2: have you got to say?
• 14:13
  Speaker 7: I can't make out how much she cares.
• 14:15
  Speaker 4: I don't know what to say to you. I can't
• 14:17
  Speaker 4: talk to you in public. This is a new aspect
• 14:20
  Speaker 4: of the thing entirely. What's the use of telling you
• 14:24
  Speaker 4: I am sorry?
• 14:25
  Speaker 7: Are you sorry?
• 14:26
  Speaker 4: Well? Yes?
• 14:28
  Speaker 14: It is the beauty of the scene, waning.
• 14:30
  Speaker 4: You will want another best man? Well, Sheila didn't want me.
• 14:34
  Speaker 14: Don't speak of Sheila here?
• 14:36
  Speaker 4: Why not?
• 14:37
  Speaker 14: Your own sense of decency might tell you.
• 14:40
  Speaker 4: In all my life I never said anything as bad
• 14:44
  Speaker 4: as that, never anything as sunkind, as evil as abominable.
• 14:50
  Speaker 4: Why what do you mean to insult her? Now?
• 14:54
  Speaker 14: You're a fine.
• 14:54
  Speaker 2: Fellow to talk of silence? This is no time for
• 14:58
  Speaker 2: such beckering. Just leave the room.
• 15:02
  Speaker 4: Don't speak to her like that?
• 15:04
  Speaker 2: Are you addressing me?
• 15:06
  Speaker 4: Yes? You must treat her well.
• 15:08
  Speaker 2: Treat her? What are you to talk of treating her well? Besides?
• 15:13
  Speaker 2: I am treating her well. I think she will agree
• 15:15
  Speaker 2: that I have shown the greatest forbearans. A fellow who
• 15:18
  Speaker 2: has an intrigue with a servant and then a servant.
• 15:22
  Speaker 8: What is she?
• 15:23
  Speaker 4: You make these distinctions?
• 15:25
  Speaker 2: What does the fellow mean?
• 15:27
  Speaker 4: You'd hardly believe it, but I feel a kind of
• 15:29
  Speaker 4: moral exaltation. Ha ha oh, yes, Edgar, I know your
• 15:35
  Speaker 4: vast superiority, but in this you are despicable through and
• 15:40
  Speaker 4: through all of you.
• 15:42
  Speaker 12: No.
• 15:42
  Speaker 4: Mother was beautifully kind for a moment just now. She
• 15:46
  Speaker 4: asked Mary to sit down. Do you like staying here? Mary?
• 15:49
  Speaker 4: Why don't you go?
• 15:50
  Speaker 7: I want to hear what you say.
• 15:52
  Speaker 4: I have wronged you, as the saying is, but I
• 15:56
  Speaker 4: don't wrong you with every instinct, at every hour of
• 15:59
  Speaker 4: the day. After all, I am the only member of
• 16:02
  Speaker 4: this family that achieved any kind of a human relationship
• 16:06
  Speaker 4: with you. To me, you are not a servant. Listen
• 16:09
  Speaker 4: to this, Listen to Shakespeare. Why sweat they under burdens?
• 16:14
  Speaker 4: Let their beds be made as soft as yours, and
• 16:18
  Speaker 4: let their palettes be seasoned with such beyands. You will answer,
• 16:24
  Speaker 4: the slaves are ours. I suppose that practically I am
• 16:27
  Speaker 4: as bad as any of you. It's just the idea.
• 16:31
  Speaker 7: I don't understand what he's talking about.
• 16:34
  Speaker 2: Nor anybody else.
• 16:35
  Speaker 4: Mary lives in the kitchen and the attic. Mary lives
• 16:39
  Speaker 4: on poorer foot than ours. When it isn't our leavings.
• 16:44
  Speaker 4: The sheets on Mary's beds are cooser than ours.
• 16:47
  Speaker 2: Silence, sir, shameful, what would you have us do?
• 16:52
  Speaker 7: Am making no complaint, ma'am not of him. I was
• 16:55
  Speaker 7: as bad as him.
• 16:57
  Speaker 4: She is not bad. She can't be bad. Anyone can
• 17:01
  Speaker 4: see that. Who looks at her.
• 17:03
  Speaker 7: Yes, I've acted bad. I couldn't face I could never face.
• 17:08
  Speaker 1: Her voice catches missus. Timbol crosses over to her.
• 17:12
  Speaker 3: Come with me, you've been here long enough.
• 17:15
  Speaker 4: Go with my mother. Maybe I can't make you out.
• 17:19
  Speaker 13: You talk so fine, and yet come going.
• 17:23
  Speaker 1: It turns and says to Leonard, why.
• 17:26
  Speaker 3: Were you going away?
• 17:27
  Speaker 2: Going away?
• 17:28
  Speaker 7: He was packing his things?
• 17:30
  Speaker 3: Why Leonard, what a brute I am? You were going away?
• 17:34
  Speaker 4: That's the kind of beast I am.
• 17:36
  Speaker 2: I don't quite understand this. You were going away? Where?
• 17:40
  Speaker 8: Why?
• 17:41
  Speaker 4: Where? That's it the matter?
• 17:43
  Speaker 2: Why were you going?
• 17:44
  Speaker 4: I wanted to get out of it.
• 17:46
  Speaker 3: You didn't know? You didn't understand, Yes I did, she
• 17:51
  Speaker 3: told me.
• 17:52
  Speaker 2: But Leonard, what what you were running away? You knew?
• 17:57
  Speaker 2: You knew everything?
• 17:58
  Speaker 4: Yes I did.
• 18:00
  Speaker 2: Shameful, monstrous, I.
• 18:02
  Speaker 4: Thought it the most sensible thing to do. I know
• 18:05
  Speaker 4: it looks bad.
• 18:06
  Speaker 2: He amazes me. I can't grasp it. What a coward,
• 18:09
  Speaker 2: What an infamous coward? Had you not thought at all
• 18:12
  Speaker 2: for this unfortunate girl? You never thought of any kind
• 18:15
  Speaker 2: of reparation. I suppose reparation by heaven.
• 18:19
  Speaker 1: He stops for a moment considering, and then goes on,
• 18:23
  Speaker 1: but with something working in his mind.
• 18:25
  Speaker 2: Had you no consideration for your mother, for any of us?
• 18:29
  Speaker 2: Don't you see? Don't you understand?
• 18:32
  Speaker 4: I think I see a bit clearer than you do.
• 18:35
  Speaker 4: As to Matie, I didn't see how I could help her. Frankly,
• 18:39
  Speaker 4: I didn't. I knew you would be as decent to
• 18:42
  Speaker 4: her as anyone could. I have not a penny. I
• 18:45
  Speaker 4: can't earn a penny. I would have written to my
• 18:48
  Speaker 4: mother to explain. It wouldn't have been pleasant, but less
• 18:52
  Speaker 4: disagreeable for her than this, I think.
• 18:55
  Speaker 14: How would you go away without a penny?
• 18:58
  Speaker 4: Never mind? Yes, you shall know. I meant to take
• 19:02
  Speaker 4: some of mother's housekeeping money. I know where she keeps it.
• 19:06
  Speaker 14: You see, you have stone limit.
• 19:08
  Speaker 4: I should have written to explain and to ask her
• 19:11
  Speaker 4: for more. With a limit, you are damn small minded.
• 19:15
  Speaker 4: Don't bother us to his father. I quite understand your
• 19:20
  Speaker 4: point of view, sir.
• 19:21
  Speaker 2: Oh do you you understand me very thoroughly, don't you?
• 19:25
  Speaker 4: You see? I have far more faith in your practical
• 19:28
  Speaker 4: wisdom than in my own. I am in a miss.
• 19:32
  Speaker 4: You will say I ought to stop and face the music.
• 19:34
  Speaker 4: My point is that it does no good. And then
• 19:38
  Speaker 4: there was that infernal wedding of it girls. I had
• 19:41
  Speaker 4: to get out of that. They didn't want me anyhow. Oh,
• 19:46
  Speaker 4: I know I cut a very poor figure from your
• 19:49
  Speaker 4: point of view, and I quite understand it. Mind you,
• 19:53
  Speaker 4: I am very much with you now, And when I
• 19:55
  Speaker 4: look at you, maybe I feel rather horrible.
• 19:59
  Speaker 7: I didn't think you'd have run away.
• 20:01
  Speaker 4: No, that's bad, isn't it.
• 20:04
  Speaker 14: If the fellow's a comedian?
• 20:06
  Speaker 3: Come Mary?
• 20:07
  Speaker 8: Stop?
• 20:08
  Speaker 2: Mary? Would you marry him?
• 20:11
  Speaker 4: What?
• 20:11
  Speaker 7: Sir?
• 20:12
  Speaker 2: Would you condescend to marry him? Would you be such
• 20:15
  Speaker 2: a fool?
• 20:16
  Speaker 7: He wouldn't marry me?
• 20:18
  Speaker 2: So much the worse for him. Then, to Leonard, you've
• 20:21
  Speaker 2: lived here hitherto at my expense. I turn you out.
• 20:26
  Speaker 2: You're old enough to earn a living.
• 20:27
  Speaker 3: Go Edward.
• 20:30
  Speaker 2: My mind's made up. There's only one alternative.
• 20:33
  Speaker 4: And what's that, sir, that you do.
• 20:35
  Speaker 2: Reparation, that you do the honest, manly thing. It hasn't
• 20:39
  Speaker 2: occurred to you, it seems you mean. I can hardly
• 20:42
  Speaker 2: advise her to do it. Mary. If you marry him,
• 20:45
  Speaker 2: I'll give him three hundred pounds a year as long
• 20:47
  Speaker 2: as he behaves himself. If he doesn't, you shall and suffer.
• 20:51
  Speaker 3: Edward, don't be hasty, don't decide too quickly. I'm thinking
• 20:56
  Speaker 3: of you Mary as well as of him. I need
• 20:59
  Speaker 3: you'd be kind to me, ma'am Edward. I pray that
• 21:02
  Speaker 3: we may do right.
• 21:04
  Speaker 2: Come, sir, you had better go down on your knees
• 21:06
  Speaker 2: and woo your bride.
• 21:08
  Speaker 3: Oh Edward, don't speak like that.
• 21:10
  Speaker 2: He's not worthy of consideration.
• 21:13
  Speaker 3: I was thinking of her.
• 21:15
  Speaker 2: What's your answer?
• 21:16
  Speaker 4: Mother? Will you take Mary away and I will talk
• 21:19
  Speaker 4: to my father.
• 21:20
  Speaker 2: You will talk now, and in Mary's presence.
• 21:23
  Speaker 4: You care nothing about her. It is simply that you're
• 21:27
  Speaker 4: vexed with me. If you were doing it for her,
• 21:30
  Speaker 4: I could have some respect for you.
• 21:32
  Speaker 2: Your answer to my proposal.
• 21:34
  Speaker 4: What's Edgar doing here? Surely we can do without him?
• 21:38
  Speaker 2: To Edgar, stay where you are, Mary, You know.
• 21:41
  Speaker 4: It is impossible.
• 21:43
  Speaker 7: Yes, mister Leonard.
• 21:44
  Speaker 4: Made refuses so much the worse for you. But if
• 21:49
  Speaker 4: she refuses, out you go.
• 21:51
  Speaker 2: Into the street. That can't be, that shall be.
• 21:55
  Speaker 4: Oh, this is all very absurd. We are not being
• 21:59
  Speaker 4: practical at all. Mary. I'm sorry. It's no good you
• 22:03
  Speaker 4: and me marrying, now, is it?
• 22:06
  Speaker 7: I suppose not, mister Leonard. I don't know what I'm
• 22:09
  Speaker 7: going to do, though.
• 22:11
  Speaker 4: My father can give you a bit of that pound
• 22:14
  Speaker 4: three hundred a year he talks about, And then, oh,
• 22:18
  Speaker 4: of course, I don't know. I should like to act handsomely,
• 22:22
  Speaker 4: but what can I do? This talk of marriage, frankly,
• 22:27
  Speaker 4: is a bit antiquated puritanism. Mary, I'm sorry, I'm sorry.
• 22:33
  Speaker 4: I'm sorry. You are a good girl. I am all
• 22:37
  Speaker 4: to blame.
• 22:38
  Speaker 1: He turns to his father, who sits grimly silent, then
• 22:41
  Speaker 1: to his mother.
• 22:43
  Speaker 4: Mother, you settle it.
• 22:45
  Speaker 3: I don't know how you parents.
• 22:48
  Speaker 4: Are in middle stage. Once you would just have been
• 22:52
  Speaker 4: brutal to the girl. I don't mean you, but parents generally,
• 22:57
  Speaker 4: presently we may have more. I am a selfish brute,
• 23:03
  Speaker 4: but I got some sense. But I am powerless. Haven't
• 23:07
  Speaker 4: you any imagination? It's all very fine to make a
• 23:12
  Speaker 4: scene here and put down your foot and couris me
• 23:15
  Speaker 4: to your beastly righteousness. But think of the years to come?
• 23:20
  Speaker 4: Do you see as married? Do you see our married life?
• 23:24
  Speaker 2: Forgive me, Mary, you shall make an honest woman of her.
• 23:28
  Speaker 4: A fine old phrase that.
• 23:30
  Speaker 2: I'm not ashamed of it.
• 23:32
  Speaker 4: Why shouldn't she be a happy mother, without fear and
• 23:35
  Speaker 4: without shame? Mary, don't make that ridiculous mistake of thinking
• 23:40
  Speaker 4: yourself disgraced.
• 23:41
  Speaker 7: But I am disgraced.
• 23:43
  Speaker 4: You are not not in the eyes of any reasonable
• 23:46
  Speaker 4: human being.
• 23:48
  Speaker 7: Then the people I know aren't reasonable.
• 23:50
  Speaker 4: Have you a father and a mother?
• 23:52
  Speaker 7: Yes?
• 23:53
  Speaker 4: And they would? They are?
• 23:56
  Speaker 7: They are very respectable.
• 23:58
  Speaker 4: I see, I see. Yes.
• 24:02
  Speaker 3: Didn't you tell me you were keeping company with someone?
• 24:05
  Speaker 7: I was walking out? Ma'am? I wasn't keeping company.
• 24:08
  Speaker 4: I'm afraid I don't appreciate the difference.
• 24:11
  Speaker 7: There is a difference.
• 24:13
  Speaker 3: Have you seen him lately?
• 24:15
  Speaker 7: Yes, ma'am?
• 24:16
  Speaker 4: Would he marry you? Now?
• 24:18
  Speaker 1: Timbrel starts in his chair but does not speak. Mary
• 24:22
  Speaker 1: gives a gasp that is almost a sob.
• 24:25
  Speaker 4: I know I am a brute. Would he marry you? Middy?
• 24:28
  Speaker 3: No?
• 24:29
  Speaker 7: No, no, no, George truth, it's a good man. I
• 24:33
  Speaker 7: wouldn't ask him to marry me.
• 24:34
  Speaker 4: Now, But if he cares for you, he ought to
• 24:37
  Speaker 4: want to marry you.
• 24:38
  Speaker 8: Now.
• 24:39
  Speaker 7: You think you understand things, but you don't.
• 24:42
  Speaker 2: Mary. Will you marry my son?
• 24:45
  Speaker 7: He'd hate me?
• 24:46
  Speaker 2: Nonsense? Will you marry him?
• 24:49
  Speaker 7: I'd like to marry some one. I've got to face
• 24:51
  Speaker 7: my father, hear me?
• 24:53
  Speaker 12: Nasty?
• 24:54
  Speaker 2: May I point out to you, sir, silent, you will
• 24:58
  Speaker 2: do what you are told. You are not one of us.
• 25:01
  Speaker 2: You never have been a useless dilettante. Here's a chance
• 25:05
  Speaker 2: for you, don't you see that? A chance. If you
• 25:08
  Speaker 2: can't take it, it shall be forced on you. Will
• 25:11
  Speaker 2: you marry him? Marry or let him go out into
• 25:14
  Speaker 2: the street.
• 25:15
  Speaker 7: If he's like as you say, it's no great catch.
• 25:18
  Speaker 4: Mary, She's right. I am not a great catch. She
• 25:23
  Speaker 4: is a sensible person in this conference. Let's send it,
• 25:26
  Speaker 4: Let's do something else.
• 25:28
  Speaker 2: We'll finish this now. Edgar, fetch me the Bible, the
• 25:31
  Speaker 2: family Bible. You know where it is in the dining room.
• 25:34
  Speaker 1: At once Edgar goes, my dear Timber holds up his hand,
• 25:40
  Speaker 1: and she stops.
• 25:42
  Speaker 4: The Family Bible. It's like bringing out an absolete instrument
• 25:46
  Speaker 4: of torture. I had forgotten that we had a family bible.
• 25:50
  Speaker 2: The names of my father's children and their wives and
• 25:52
  Speaker 2: children are recorded there.
• 25:53
  Speaker 4: And a very nice old custom.
• 25:56
  Speaker 2: To your Ribaldry is ill timed.
• 25:58
  Speaker 4: Sir, Ribaldry, I can't make a remark that suits you
• 26:02
  Speaker 4: on the last time, hypocritical. I think it's a nice custom, Edward.
• 26:07
  Speaker 3: Let us think over this a little more. Let us
• 26:09
  Speaker 3: try to see things more clearly.
• 26:12
  Speaker 2: Where is Edgar? What's he doing?
• 26:14
  Speaker 9: Oh?
• 26:14
  Speaker 7: Send me away and be done. I don't want to
• 26:17
  Speaker 7: make trouble Edgar?
• 26:19
  Speaker 2: Where is Edgar?
• 26:21
  Speaker 1: Voices are heard outside? Edgar enters with the Bible?
• 26:25
  Speaker 2: What's that? Who's there? What have you been doing?
• 26:28
  Speaker 14: It's Aida and it's Aida.
• 26:31
  Speaker 4: Better stop up the keyhole, sir, if you wish these
• 26:35
  Speaker 4: rights to be secret.
• 26:36
  Speaker 3: Oh be quiet, Leonard, I must keep.
• 26:39
  Speaker 4: Up my spirits somehow, Mother, Aida, and is Sheila there?
• 26:44
  Speaker 8: Come in?
• 26:45
  Speaker 1: They enter immediately?
• 26:47
  Speaker 4: I told you, so, what is it?
• 26:49
  Speaker 15: Father?
• 26:49
  Speaker 5: What's going to happen?
• 26:51
  Speaker 2: Put that bible down?
• 26:52
  Speaker 1: Pointing to the table, pen and ink. Edgar brings pen
• 26:56
  Speaker 1: and ink.
• 26:57
  Speaker 9: Father.
• 26:57
  Speaker 5: What's he going to do?
• 26:59
  Speaker 2: Sheila? I thought your name would be the next to
• 27:01
  Speaker 2: be entered in this book, but another is before you father.
• 27:05
  Speaker 5: I don't want to be hard on Mary, but really
• 27:08
  Speaker 5: I do think.
• 27:10
  Speaker 6: I'm sorry for her, but I think I ought to
• 27:12
  Speaker 6: be considered my wedding's spoilt.
• 27:15
  Speaker 4: Inadequate, inadequate, My dear Sheila, you're bringing us down to
• 27:20
  Speaker 4: a lower level than he have reached.
• 27:22
  Speaker 7: Yet I won't stay. I'll thank you for your kindness, ma'am.
• 27:26
  Speaker 7: I'll give you a month's notice, but if I may,
• 27:29
  Speaker 7: i'll go now without wages.
• 27:31
  Speaker 4: Just listen to her, Sheila, it may do you good.
• 27:34
  Speaker 2: Listen to this.
• 27:35
  Speaker 1: He strikes the Bible with his fist.
• 27:38
  Speaker 2: I swear by this book that unless my son Leonard
• 27:41
  Speaker 2: marries that woman Mary. What is your name?
• 27:44
  Speaker 7: My name is Mary Broom.
• 27:46
  Speaker 2: Mary Broom. He leaves this house to day and never
• 27:50
  Speaker 2: again receives support, in money or aught else from me.
• 27:54
  Speaker 1: This is spoken standing. He sits down heavily.
• 27:58
  Speaker 2: It is now between my son and Mary Broome.
• 28:01
  Speaker 1: He opens the Bible at the blank pages before the
• 28:04
  Speaker 1: title page, and, putting on his spectacles, looks fixedly and
• 28:09
  Speaker 1: inscrutably at the names inscribed there.
• 28:12
  Speaker 2: To Edgar, I think you ought to interfere if Sheil
• 28:16
  Speaker 2: is not satisfied with her sister in law. She need
• 28:18
  Speaker 2: not marry into this family.
• 28:20
  Speaker 6: She would be my brother in law's wife, not my
• 28:22
  Speaker 6: sister in law.
• 28:24
  Speaker 4: You are sieved.
• 28:25
  Speaker 2: I want to know whether I must write Mary Broome's
• 28:28
  Speaker 2: name here.
• 28:29
  Speaker 14: It's after marriage, you do that, not before this time.
• 28:33
  Speaker 2: It's before.
• 28:34
  Speaker 4: There is a sort of grandeur about a man with
• 28:37
  Speaker 4: a fixed idea.
• 28:39
  Speaker 14: I know your loves to it a determined man, sir,
• 28:42
  Speaker 14: But I'll ask you for once to consider silent mother.
• 28:48
  Speaker 3: It's no use I've never stood up against him. I've
• 28:52
  Speaker 3: let him have his own way all these years. It
• 28:55
  Speaker 3: didn't seem to mutter.
• 28:56
  Speaker 2: I am the head of this house.
• 28:58
  Speaker 1: His implacability daunts them. There are whisperings between Ada, Sheila
• 29:04
  Speaker 1: and Edgar. Missus. Timbril is a little apart, quiet and sad.
• 29:10
  Speaker 1: In the grouping, Mary has come to the front. Leonard
• 29:14
  Speaker 1: moves a step or two nearer to her, and the
• 29:16
  Speaker 1: others are in a rough ring about them.
• 29:19
  Speaker 4: Maybe, well, I have done you a frightful wrong. There
• 29:23
  Speaker 4: is no getting away from that. Don't let it worry
• 29:26
  Speaker 4: you too much. It wasn't your fault. It wasn't your
• 29:30
  Speaker 4: fault at all. But it's not such a wrong as this,
• 29:34
  Speaker 4: as this would be. May I say that I have
• 29:38
  Speaker 4: been admiring you greatly to day. I think you are
• 29:41
  Speaker 4: a beautiful creature. Good Bye, He.
• 29:44
  Speaker 1: Holds out his hand.
• 29:46
  Speaker 2: But my dear boy, your cunning won't do. You're full
• 29:50
  Speaker 2: of shams and tricks.
• 29:52
  Speaker 4: I was never more sincere.
• 29:54
  Speaker 2: How long do your sincerities last?
• 29:56
  Speaker 4: I know, I know. It's gusts and moods with me. Mary,
• 30:00
  Speaker 4: you will believe me now.
• 30:02
  Speaker 7: He looks at his watch at one o'clock.
• 30:04
  Speaker 4: Does this house used to be my home?
• 30:06
  Speaker 2: The sooner the better.
• 30:08
  Speaker 7: But what are you going to do?
• 30:10
  Speaker 4: I don't know. I shall sponge on my pals for
• 30:13
  Speaker 4: some time. I suppose I shall done my mother. I
• 30:17
  Speaker 4: might get down to Ada Edgar. I think you are
• 30:20
  Speaker 4: safe by the bye, Sheila, can you lend me half
• 30:24
  Speaker 4: a crown?
• 30:25
  Speaker 1: He turned suddenly to his father.
• 30:27
  Speaker 4: Do you see the folly of it? Yet? Are you
• 30:30
  Speaker 4: going to budge? What about my mother? Is it fat
• 30:34
  Speaker 4: to her?
• 30:35
  Speaker 2: You begin to think of your mother too late?
• 30:37
  Speaker 4: Oh? I know I am as selfish as they are made.
• 30:41
  Speaker 4: You are well out of it, Mary. There is no
• 30:43
  Speaker 4: relenting then none.
• 30:46
  Speaker 1: Leonard pauses for a moment and then walks towards the
• 30:49
  Speaker 1: door stop. He stops and looks round.
• 30:53
  Speaker 7: Come here, please, he returns to her. Oh, I'll do
• 30:57
  Speaker 7: as you like.
• 30:58
  Speaker 4: You mean you would marry me if you like. I
• 31:02
  Speaker 4: wonder if it is possible.
• 31:04
  Speaker 7: You needn't unless you like?
• 31:06
  Speaker 4: Do you want it? Is it for me? You would
• 31:08
  Speaker 4: do it?
• 31:08
  Speaker 7: It'd make me unhappy for you to go away like that.
• 31:12
  Speaker 4: Maybe I think I like you enough to marry you,
• 31:16
  Speaker 4: but you mustn't unless you want to marry me.
• 31:19
  Speaker 7: I want to marry somebody.
• 31:20
  Speaker 4: Oh, thank you, you're beautifully frank.
• 31:24
  Speaker 7: It's only that I don't quite understand you. You were
• 31:28
  Speaker 7: going away, you were packing.
• 31:29
  Speaker 4: Your I have the honor to ask you to be
• 31:32
  Speaker 4: my wife.
• 31:33
  Speaker 7: Yes, I will.
• 31:34
  Speaker 2: Writing Mary Broom b r o O m.
• 31:40
  Speaker 7: E, Sir, b r o O m E. My father
• 31:44
  Speaker 7: told us we must always stick to the E. It's
• 31:47
  Speaker 7: more genteel.
• 31:48
  Speaker 2: Yes, by the bye. What is your father, Mary? What's
• 31:52
  Speaker 2: his occupation?
• 31:53
  Speaker 7: He's a cabman, sir, quite so, quite so? It's rather
• 31:57
  Speaker 7: late man. Shall I bring in tea?
• 32:00
  Speaker 3: You are very good, Mary? If you will.
• 32:03
  Speaker 1: Please curtain and of Act one, Act two of Mary
• 32:21
  Speaker 1: Broome by Alan Munkhouse. This is a LibriVox recording all
• 32:26
  Speaker 1: LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more information
• 32:30
  Speaker 1: or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox dot org. Act two
• 32:38
  Speaker 1: the same place. Nearly a year later, Christmas Eve, the
• 32:43
  Speaker 1: room is decorated with evergreens, et cetera. Timbrel and Edgar
• 32:48
  Speaker 1: discovered they are in jackets and black ties, et cetera.
• 32:54
  Speaker 15: Surveying Edgar, yes, that's right, black tie.
• 32:59
  Speaker 2: You told Sheild put on some half and half affair,
• 33:02
  Speaker 2: not full evening dress, you know. Of course, I didn't
• 33:05
  Speaker 2: like to say anything to Leonard, but his wife's a
• 33:07
  Speaker 2: sensible girl. In some ways. She'll manage to be neat,
• 33:12
  Speaker 2: you know, bit of an ordeal for her, But I'm
• 33:15
  Speaker 2: sure you and Sheila will do all you can to
• 33:17
  Speaker 2: make it pass off pleasantly.
• 33:20
  Speaker 1: Certainly, certainly, Missus Timbrel enters. She wears the kind of
• 33:25
  Speaker 1: afternoon gown that some ladies of the middle class wear
• 33:28
  Speaker 1: in the evenings when they have not company. Timbrel scrutinizes
• 33:33
  Speaker 1: each lady as she enters, with more or less approval,
• 33:37
  Speaker 1: surveying his wife.
• 33:39
  Speaker 2: Yes, yes, by the bye, Edgar, you will take missus
• 33:43
  Speaker 2: Leonard in. I must take it, Missus Pendleton. Of course,
• 33:46
  Speaker 2: Pendleton your mother.
• 33:48
  Speaker 3: Let's see, wouldn't you to take in Mary?
• 33:52
  Speaker 2: What's that?
• 33:53
  Speaker 1: Ada and Sheila enter? They are not in evening dress,
• 33:58
  Speaker 1: but in a kind of compromise with which they are
• 34:00
  Speaker 1: not content to her father.
• 34:04
  Speaker 5: I hope this will satisfy you.
• 34:06
  Speaker 15: Surveying them, quite right, very good to his wife.
• 34:12
  Speaker 2: What will you say?
• 34:13
  Speaker 3: I thought that perhaps you ought to take Marian Mary. Why, well,
• 34:19
  Speaker 3: she's the bride. I suppose, of course, Sheila had her
• 34:23
  Speaker 3: turn long ago, the bride.
• 34:26
  Speaker 1: He is staggered, but doesn't know what to say.
• 34:29
  Speaker 3: This little party is really in her honor.
• 34:32
  Speaker 1: In her honor, He repeats it helplessly.
• 34:36
  Speaker 6: Missus Pendleton would hardly expect to go after Mary.
• 34:39
  Speaker 1: Enter, maidservant.
• 34:41
  Speaker 7: Mister and Missus Pendleton.
• 34:43
  Speaker 1: They enter, salutations, et cetera. Mister Pendleton wears a swallow
• 34:49
  Speaker 1: tail black tie, et cetera. Missus Pendleton a ponderous compromise.
• 34:55
  Speaker 1: They are a respectable middle class couple.
• 34:58
  Speaker 2: Well, well, how are you, Pendleton? Missus Pendleton dropped the fire.
• 35:04
  Speaker 2: These young people are not here yet. Leonard never took
• 35:06
  Speaker 2: much account of time. It's very good of you to
• 35:09
  Speaker 2: have come.
• 35:10
  Speaker 10: Very happy. Indeed, I'm sure.
• 35:13
  Speaker 2: You see Missus Pendleton. We thought, I'm sure you'll understand
• 35:16
  Speaker 2: Christmas Eve, you know, and you and Pendleton and such
• 35:19
  Speaker 2: old friends. Of course we might have had just a family,
• 35:22
  Speaker 2: but they'd take it as a bit of a compliment
• 35:23
  Speaker 2: to meet you. You know how it is. I needn't explain.
• 35:27
  Speaker 2: They haven't been here yet. You'll quite understand.
• 35:30
  Speaker 11: Don't say any more about it, mister tymbril. I'm sure
• 35:34
  Speaker 11: you're behaving very well, and we're glad, very glad.
• 35:39
  Speaker 2: Yes, and do you know I believe the marriage is
• 35:42
  Speaker 2: not going to turn out so badly. After all, she'll
• 35:45
  Speaker 2: make a man of him. I was very firm about it. However,
• 35:48
  Speaker 2: we won't go into that now.
• 35:50
  Speaker 3: Do you know my daughter in law Missus Pendleton turning
• 35:53
  Speaker 3: to Sheila.
• 35:54
  Speaker 11: Oh, yes, I've had the pleasure.
• 35:57
  Speaker 3: I didn't mean Sheila, I'm Mary, Missus Leonard.
• 36:02
  Speaker 11: Oh, well know her?
• 36:05
  Speaker 3: I that is, she was the best housemaid I ever had.
• 36:11
  Speaker 2: Well, well, I think it's turning frosty again. What are
• 36:14
  Speaker 2: you paying for coals?
• 36:15
  Speaker 4: Now?
• 36:15
  Speaker 2: Pendleton entered maid servant mister.
• 36:18
  Speaker 7: And Missus Leonard Timbrel.
• 36:21
  Speaker 1: Leonard and Mary enter. He is an evening dress with
• 36:25
  Speaker 1: a white waistcoat, and white tie. Mary wears a low dress,
• 36:30
  Speaker 1: not a very elaborate one, but quite simple and pretty.
• 36:34
  Speaker 1: The others look at them in some consternation.
• 36:37
  Speaker 15: Tut tut, oh, this is all wrong, laughing a little
• 36:41
  Speaker 15: as she goes forward to Mary.
• 36:44
  Speaker 3: Well, Mary, you are a swell I didn't want.
• 36:48
  Speaker 13: To be like this.
• 36:49
  Speaker 1: She turns rather distressfully to her husband, who looks round
• 36:53
  Speaker 1: the company general rather stiff greetings.
• 36:58
  Speaker 4: We seem to have come to the slight edited judgment
• 37:01
  Speaker 4: I have, I mean, maybe you have a sound social instinct.
• 37:06
  Speaker 4: I can never tell what is burgoys people will do.
• 37:10
  Speaker 1: And mind you holding out his hand deprecatingly.
• 37:15
  Speaker 4: I use the words simply and offensively. You understand that,
• 37:19
  Speaker 4: Missus Pendleton, I am an outsider.
• 37:21
  Speaker 14: You mean a bounder.
• 37:23
  Speaker 4: Quite good, Edgar, if you could only get a pleasant
• 37:26
  Speaker 4: tone into your voice as you say it. It's so bad,
• 37:31
  Speaker 4: socilly And how are you, Sheila?
• 37:34
  Speaker 6: I'm quite well, thank you.
• 37:36
  Speaker 4: Chilly, chilly mother. You've got an awkward job this evening.
• 37:42
  Speaker 2: Don't be absurd, sir.
• 37:44
  Speaker 1: Missus Timbrel and Mary retire up the stage and sit
• 37:48
  Speaker 1: down together. Ada and Sheila also converse together in whispers
• 37:52
  Speaker 1: with Missus Pendleton. The four men are to the front.
• 37:57
  Speaker 10: And what are you doing with yourself now? Leonard?
• 38:00
  Speaker 4: Still at the old game, sir, still at the old game.
• 38:04
  Speaker 10: Indeed, what's that?
• 38:06
  Speaker 3: Well?
• 38:07
  Speaker 4: Do you know? I had to fill up my senses
• 38:09
  Speaker 4: paper the other day, and I was rather bothered to
• 38:12
  Speaker 4: describe myself. Of course I am a literary man, but
• 38:16
  Speaker 4: that hardly seems to cover the ground. I am really
• 38:19
  Speaker 4: a kind of sponge, but that doesn't rank as a
• 38:22
  Speaker 4: regular trade.
• 38:24
  Speaker 2: You'll make nothing of him, Pendleton, when he's in this humor.
• 38:27
  Speaker 14: Why can't you talk simply instead of spouting all this rot?
• 38:32
  Speaker 4: You're always baffled. When I tell the truth, it.
• 38:36
  Speaker 14: Somehow ceases to be the truth when you.
• 38:38
  Speaker 4: Tell it good. You see how my family is prejudiced
• 38:42
  Speaker 4: against me, mister Pendleton. My virtues are not virtues. My
• 38:46
  Speaker 4: white is black. My only chance to put myself right
• 38:49
  Speaker 4: by committing a crime. Then I should come a sympathy.
• 38:54
  Speaker 4: My family would begin to understand me. Mister Pendleton. Won't
• 38:58
  Speaker 4: you consider these preliminaries and give me a little assistance.
• 39:02
  Speaker 4: I want something to do, Give me a place in
• 39:05
  Speaker 4: your office.
• 39:06
  Speaker 10: But my dear boy, I'm afraid I hardly.
• 39:10
  Speaker 4: Think give me a chance, sir, I have a wife
• 39:13
  Speaker 4: and a family.
• 39:15
  Speaker 10: You're clever enough.
• 39:16
  Speaker 2: I believe he wouldn't do for an office boy.
• 39:20
  Speaker 4: That's perfectly true. Most of the businessmen I have met
• 39:24
  Speaker 4: would do for it very well.
• 39:26
  Speaker 14: You'd better try the music who stage.
• 39:29
  Speaker 4: Now, that's quite a helpful suggestion. That's an idea, Edgar
• 39:34
  Speaker 4: Humbugs like myself make good actors.
• 39:37
  Speaker 2: You are not serious, sir, hardly no.
• 39:41
  Speaker 10: I've heard that Harry Latter got how much a week
• 39:44
  Speaker 10: was it? When he something astonishing? Why, sir, there are
• 39:50
  Speaker 10: very few merchants in the city of London who.
• 39:53
  Speaker 4: Make as much the music halls.
• 39:56
  Speaker 1: Maybe deep in talk with missus Timbrel, she doesn't.
• 39:59
  Speaker 4: Hear, no matter me.
• 40:01
  Speaker 10: It's something better to talk about.
• 40:03
  Speaker 4: When is he two women talking like that? I always
• 40:07
  Speaker 4: think it must be about the servant question.
• 40:10
  Speaker 14: I say, what in fairly bad taste?
• 40:13
  Speaker 4: Where is the fat at? Cough?
• 40:15
  Speaker 1: Breaking impatiently away?
• 40:17
  Speaker 2: My dear, isn't dinner ready?
• 40:19
  Speaker 4: Oh?
• 40:20
  Speaker 1: Dear?
• 40:20
  Speaker 3: Ring the bell? Somebody?
• 40:22
  Speaker 1: Somebody rings the bell.
• 40:24
  Speaker 3: Missus Pendleton, I'm very remiss, but this is a family party.
• 40:28
  Speaker 4: You know.
• 40:29
  Speaker 3: Mary was telling me about the baby.
• 40:31
  Speaker 11: You must let me come and see it. My dear,
• 40:35
  Speaker 11: is it a boy or a girl?
• 40:37
  Speaker 4: It sir? It sir.
• 40:39
  Speaker 1: She looks at Sheila boorll.
• 40:42
  Speaker 4: It's a very remarkable baby.
• 40:44
  Speaker 11: Ah boy, how very nice?
• 40:46
  Speaker 7: And what if you called him Leonard?
• 40:49
  Speaker 11: Right, my dear. I think the eldest son ought always
• 40:53
  Speaker 11: to be called after.
• 40:54
  Speaker 4: His father, confusing for the historian entered maid servant.
• 41:00
  Speaker 3: Oh, Beryl, isn't dinner ready?
• 41:03
  Speaker 13: If you please, ma'am. There's been rather a little accident
• 41:05
  Speaker 13: in the dining room.
• 41:06
  Speaker 5: Oh dear, what's that?
• 41:08
  Speaker 3: What's that? An accident?
• 41:11
  Speaker 13: Well, the soot came down the chimney just now and
• 41:14
  Speaker 13: it's made such a mess. We're just clearing it away,
• 41:16
  Speaker 13: but it's a job. We'll have to change the tablecloth.
• 41:19
  Speaker 7: The damper wants a bit of coaxing, but I expect
• 41:21
  Speaker 7: it's a coals.
• 41:23
  Speaker 1: To timbrel reproachfully.
• 41:25
  Speaker 7: You've not gone back to those cheap coals again, sir.
• 41:28
  Speaker 7: They do make such a lot of soot.
• 41:30
  Speaker 3: Well erh you would do it, you know?
• 41:34
  Speaker 1: To missus Pendleton.
• 41:36
  Speaker 3: Does your husband come and show you how to save
• 41:38
  Speaker 3: money in the house.
• 41:39
  Speaker 11: I'd like to see him try.
• 41:42
  Speaker 3: I'm afraid I don't stand up against him. I'm very weak. Well,
• 41:46
  Speaker 3: get things straight as soon as you can, Beryl.
• 41:49
  Speaker 13: Yes, ma'am, it'll be a little time.
• 41:51
  Speaker 1: Yet, I'm afraid she goes out, what did you call her?
• 41:55
  Speaker 3: Beryl?
• 41:56
  Speaker 1: Well?
• 41:57
  Speaker 3: I never she said that was her name.
• 42:01
  Speaker 2: I told you, my dear, that it was quite unsuitable.
• 42:04
  Speaker 3: She seemed to like the name I suggested, Jane.
• 42:08
  Speaker 4: Huh. You may interfere about colds, but not in things
• 42:12
  Speaker 4: that matter like this, of course, very less abominable. But
• 42:17
  Speaker 4: when you know that mother let the poor girl stick
• 42:19
  Speaker 4: to it, why then it's charming.
• 42:23
  Speaker 14: Well, we've a little time to put in, it seems,
• 42:26
  Speaker 14: missus Pendleton, you haven't seen the album that Sheila and
• 42:28
  Speaker 14: I made up when we were honeymooning. We took a
• 42:31
  Speaker 14: lot and bought some.
• 42:33
  Speaker 1: He gets out album and shows photographs Sheila and Ada
• 42:37
  Speaker 1: hover about looking at his watch.
• 42:41
  Speaker 2: Very annoying.
• 42:42
  Speaker 10: Don't you bother with.
• 42:44
  Speaker 1: An effort at geniality.
• 42:46
  Speaker 2: Well, marry my girl. It's a shame to keep you waiting.
• 42:50
  Speaker 7: It doesn't matter a bit, Sir.
• 42:52
  Speaker 2: Don't call me sir.
• 42:54
  Speaker 7: No, sir, I mean no, mister Timbrel.
• 42:57
  Speaker 4: Call him daddy. He calls me sir some time. I'd
• 43:01
  Speaker 4: rather like it. It feeds my vanity. What I like
• 43:04
  Speaker 4: about May is that she has none of that absurd
• 43:08
  Speaker 4: pretons that woman is equal of man.
• 43:11
  Speaker 6: He always does talk nonsense.
• 43:13
  Speaker 3: I expect Mary keeps you in good order at home,
• 43:16
  Speaker 3: do you Mary? Is he behaving nicely?
• 43:19
  Speaker 7: I think so sometimes?
• 43:21
  Speaker 3: Now what does that mean?
• 43:24
  Speaker 7: I find it so hard to understand him.
• 43:27
  Speaker 4: She is simple. I am ironical. I can't get out
• 43:30
  Speaker 4: of the habit.
• 43:32
  Speaker 7: I'm stupid, and I can only judge by what he does.
• 43:35
  Speaker 4: Hey, Hey, that's the devil. It's explanations. I'm good at
• 43:40
  Speaker 4: not doing things.
• 43:42
  Speaker 7: But I don't understand the explanations.
• 43:45
  Speaker 3: Poor Mary.
• 43:46
  Speaker 7: Did you understand him?
• 43:48
  Speaker 3: He thinks I didn't. But I'm afraid all this will
• 43:51
  Speaker 3: not interest our friends. We don't let mister Pendleton have
• 43:55
  Speaker 3: a word.
• 43:56
  Speaker 10: Oh don't mind me, ma'am.
• 43:58
  Speaker 4: I'm all right, and missus Pendleton's all right. I'm sure
• 44:03
  Speaker 4: she has got an eye on us. Of course, you know,
• 44:07
  Speaker 4: Missus Pendleton, that Mary and I are well, we're rather
• 44:12
  Speaker 4: on show here. This is a social experiment, Now why
• 44:18
  Speaker 4: not get deeper into it. Mary's manners are quite nice.
• 44:23
  Speaker 4: Anybody can see that the housemaids maners are always better
• 44:27
  Speaker 4: than those of the daughter of the house. Now, father,
• 44:30
  Speaker 4: keep quiet. My manners are what they always have been.
• 44:35
  Speaker 4: You see. My point is that the question whether we
• 44:39
  Speaker 4: shall behave nicely on pleasant little family occasions isn't interesting.
• 44:45
  Speaker 4: If you're really interested in Mary and me, let's try
• 44:48
  Speaker 4: to go a little deeper into the things.
• 44:50
  Speaker 2: Perfect rubbish.
• 44:52
  Speaker 4: It's your weak point, sir. If I haven't pointed it
• 44:56
  Speaker 4: out before, I ought to have done, you will everything
• 45:00
  Speaker 4: with exclamations and interjections. Conversation can't be carried on like that.
• 45:06
  Speaker 4: That must be some reasonable way of looking at me.
• 45:09
  Speaker 4: I may be an extraordinary specimen, but you ought to
• 45:12
  Speaker 4: get used to me.
• 45:14
  Speaker 10: Never mind, Leonard, my boy, I was a bit eccentric
• 45:17
  Speaker 10: myself when I was young. I wanted to go on
• 45:19
  Speaker 10: the stage.
• 45:21
  Speaker 4: I never wanted to go on the stage. I am
• 45:23
  Speaker 4: ready if they will give me Harry Lauda's salary.
• 45:26
  Speaker 10: Do you know what my old father did? He gave
• 45:29
  Speaker 10: me a good hiding, and I've been all the better
• 45:31
  Speaker 10: for it.
• 45:32
  Speaker 4: How do you know with.
• 45:33
  Speaker 1: A shrug that is half exhibition.
• 45:36
  Speaker 4: Well, I can hardly blame fathers. They are in an
• 45:40
  Speaker 4: impossible position. They pretend to teach, and they ought to learn.
• 45:45
  Speaker 2: Who makes the position impossible. You and Edgar were treated
• 45:49
  Speaker 2: alike up to a certain point. I never allowed any favoritism.
• 45:53
  Speaker 2: What one got the other got, there was never the
• 45:55
  Speaker 2: slightest difference.
• 45:56
  Speaker 4: But why should you treat us alike when we are
• 45:59
  Speaker 4: totally different?
• 46:00
  Speaker 2: Up to a point, I said, surveying his brother.
• 46:03
  Speaker 4: And this is the success. I might have been like
• 46:07
  Speaker 4: this if I had tried.
• 46:08
  Speaker 2: I was always ready to take a reasonable and a
• 46:10
  Speaker 2: liberal point of view.
• 46:12
  Speaker 4: Ah, you liberals. It's feeling that you're so jolly liberal
• 46:17
  Speaker 4: that confronts you in your wickedness. Wickedness a rhetorical term,
• 46:22
  Speaker 4: of course.
• 46:24
  Speaker 2: I do my best, but I can't understand your language.
• 46:27
  Speaker 2: You puzzle me, my boy.
• 46:28
  Speaker 4: Don't mind me, sir, I'm a w otter.
• 46:31
  Speaker 3: You want your dinner, Lennard?
• 46:33
  Speaker 4: Well, well, little mother, I would like to know what
• 46:37
  Speaker 4: to think about it all.
• 46:38
  Speaker 7: He's a wild boy, Mary, he can be very sensible
• 46:41
  Speaker 7: if he likes.
• 46:43
  Speaker 4: Don't deny my wildness. Don't make me.
• 46:46
  Speaker 3: Out a sham wild wild?
• 46:50
  Speaker 4: And where does it come from? How do I get it?
• 46:54
  Speaker 4: Mister Pendleton? Who are the wild people here?
• 46:57
  Speaker 10: Nay, my boy, I'm not up to your church And turns.
• 47:01
  Speaker 4: I will tell you Mary and my mother they are
• 47:04
  Speaker 4: very much alike.
• 47:06
  Speaker 2: I think we'll leave this subject.
• 47:09
  Speaker 4: You won't get him away from himself, brother, brother, I
• 47:13
  Speaker 4: will be silent. If you have anything worth saying.
• 47:17
  Speaker 7: You shouldn't say I'm like your mother, but you are.
• 47:20
  Speaker 7: You make me.
• 47:21
  Speaker 4: Unhappy, then I shouldn't say it, but you are.
• 47:25
  Speaker 3: I'd be glad to think that I'm like you Mary.
• 47:28
  Speaker 7: It's all unhappy for me. I spoil everything.
• 47:31
  Speaker 5: It isn't your faults.
• 47:33
  Speaker 7: You want to blame it all on him, that's no use.
• 47:36
  Speaker 7: It isn't all him.
• 47:38
  Speaker 6: We want to be kind to you.
• 47:40
  Speaker 7: It doesn't matter about me. I'd rather you were down
• 47:42
  Speaker 7: on me and kind to him. This is his family,
• 47:46
  Speaker 7: and I'm not comfortable, ma'am, and it's partly this stress.
• 47:48
  Speaker 7: And I wonder if you would mind if I went
• 47:50
  Speaker 7: home and you'd all get on better together. I spoil everything,
• 47:54
  Speaker 7: you silly girl.
• 47:55
  Speaker 3: You spoil nothing, and you're as good as gold.
• 47:58
  Speaker 9: And we all like you nice indeed.
• 48:01
  Speaker 3: And you shall have a little shoulder over your shoulders
• 48:04
  Speaker 3: if you like.
• 48:05
  Speaker 2: Oh, we want is our dinner.
• 48:07
  Speaker 7: I'm sure you're all very kind, but.
• 48:09
  Speaker 4: We are getting on fine now.
• 48:11
  Speaker 14: You see, you've been out of the conversation for about
• 48:13
  Speaker 14: two minutes?
• 48:14
  Speaker 4: Is that it? Brother?
• 48:16
  Speaker 14: What's this trick of calling me brother?
• 48:18
  Speaker 4: I am tasting the relationship. There is a certain prequency
• 48:22
  Speaker 4: in calling you brother, Leonard.
• 48:24
  Speaker 3: Do you work quarrel with your brother?
• 48:26
  Speaker 4: No? And yet he is one of the men I
• 48:29
  Speaker 4: could quarrel with once or twice. I have been angry
• 48:32
  Speaker 4: with Edgar. I have had the true intoxication of anger.
• 48:36
  Speaker 4: Do you know it? It's a delirious joy. Your brain
• 48:40
  Speaker 4: streams out like a scarlet banner. You quarreled over trifles, Yes,
• 48:45
  Speaker 4: they would do. Our differences were deep.
• 48:48
  Speaker 2: Well, Pendleton, I hope you're having a pleasant evening.
• 48:52
  Speaker 11: Oh, we don't count this little time before dinner.
• 48:55
  Speaker 10: I don't like brothers to quarrel, though, I hope you
• 48:58
  Speaker 10: young fellows will make it up before the evenings out.
• 49:01
  Speaker 11: Well, you've got two very different sons, mister Tembrile, leave.
• 49:06
  Speaker 4: That Maria, which favors the mother? Missus Pendleton? Why, mister Edgar, No, No,
• 49:13
  Speaker 4: you wouldn't say that, mother.
• 49:14
  Speaker 3: I've not said it. I've never said it takes his
• 49:18
  Speaker 3: mother by the shoulders.
• 49:19
  Speaker 4: You have borne two sons, little mother, How did you
• 49:23
  Speaker 4: manage to make them so different. By God, you are
• 49:26
  Speaker 4: nearer to me. You're more like me and like Mary.
• 49:31
  Speaker 4: I tell you you are like Mary, a strain of wildness. Yes,
• 49:37
  Speaker 4: where does my wildness come from? It comes from you.
• 49:41
  Speaker 1: He shakes her gently.
• 49:43
  Speaker 4: I know you, Oh you are demure. I know you.
• 49:48
  Speaker 4: I wondered what you were before you became a respectable
• 49:51
  Speaker 4: married woman. Ha you cunning little one. You have doubled
• 49:57
  Speaker 4: and turned in your time. You have stop.
• 50:01
  Speaker 14: Stop monstrous.
• 50:03
  Speaker 10: By Jove, this is too much.
• 50:06
  Speaker 1: Leonard turns to regard them. He and his mother are
• 50:10
  Speaker 1: surrounded by indignant half menacing figures.
• 50:14
  Speaker 2: Take your hands from her.
• 50:16
  Speaker 14: Turn the blackout out.
• 50:18
  Speaker 2: I can't believe. I can't understand. This fellow is too
• 50:21
  Speaker 2: much for me.
• 50:22
  Speaker 10: He's too much for any of us.
• 50:24
  Speaker 1: He looks again at his mother. She is very still
• 50:28
  Speaker 1: and droops a little.
• 50:30
  Speaker 4: Mother. What did I say? Have I made a mistake?
• 50:34
  Speaker 4: Have I hurt you? I wouldn't do that.
• 50:37
  Speaker 1: He allows her to sink into a chair.
• 50:40
  Speaker 7: How could you say such things?
• 50:42
  Speaker 4: What did I say?
• 50:43
  Speaker 7: You made her out no better than me? Hush, hush.
• 50:48
  Speaker 2: I wouldn't have said it. But since she has, you
• 50:51
  Speaker 2: dare to suggest that your mother is no better than
• 50:54
  Speaker 2: your wife.
• 50:55
  Speaker 10: Now, come tremble. That's not the way to put it.
• 50:58
  Speaker 3: Mary is good enough for me.
• 51:00
  Speaker 2: That isn't the point. Don't you yourself resent? Didn't you
• 51:04
  Speaker 2: hear what he said?
• 51:06
  Speaker 3: I thought he was a little cruel.
• 51:08
  Speaker 4: But who cares for you in this family as I do?
• 51:11
  Speaker 5: Who cares less? Who would treat her so abumerably?
• 51:15
  Speaker 14: My mother is to me an immaculate saint.
• 51:19
  Speaker 4: To you, what do you care for? Immaculate saints? What
• 51:23
  Speaker 4: good are they to me? My mother is a strange woman.
• 51:28
  Speaker 4: She has all kinds of curious reserves, and she lives
• 51:32
  Speaker 4: among you, quite like one of yourselves.
• 51:35
  Speaker 7: I will say this. He has always spoken beautifully about her.
• 51:39
  Speaker 4: Bravo, Mary, stand up for me.
• 51:42
  Speaker 2: I don't wish to act hastily. I have tried hard
• 51:45
  Speaker 2: to control myself.
• 51:47
  Speaker 4: Oh be natural, sir, Be natural.
• 51:51
  Speaker 2: Go down on your knee, sir, and beg your mother's pardon.
• 51:55
  Speaker 4: Certainly if she wishes, said, I do not wish it.
• 51:59
  Speaker 2: Do you realize what he said about you?
• 52:02
  Speaker 3: He's very clever, no doubt. There's some truth in it.
• 52:05
  Speaker 2: Some truth, some truth. Do you mean to say? I
• 52:10
  Speaker 2: don't understand you. I don't like to ask you what
• 52:13
  Speaker 2: you mean?
• 52:14
  Speaker 10: I now tremble. I think we'd better leave it here,
• 52:18
  Speaker 10: don't you think so, Maria?
• 52:20
  Speaker 11: I should want to carry it a little further in
• 52:22
  Speaker 11: her place.
• 52:24
  Speaker 3: Would anybody like to ask me any questions? Questions about
• 52:28
  Speaker 3: my early life?
• 52:30
  Speaker 4: Huh?
• 52:31
  Speaker 10: Questions? My dear madam, this is painful.
• 52:35
  Speaker 2: This is quite impossible. To his wife, I cannot understand you.
• 52:40
  Speaker 2: I suppose you are trying to screen him.
• 52:42
  Speaker 7: He always speaks of his mother beautifully.
• 52:45
  Speaker 4: And why shouldn't I when I admire her immensely? Why
• 52:49
  Speaker 4: can't you people be natural and let me be natural?
• 52:53
  Speaker 4: I say, there's a strange, mysterious, incalculable being behind her
• 52:58
  Speaker 4: placid mask. And you ought to make what I mean
• 53:01
  Speaker 4: something beastly. Oh have you stood at all these years? Mother?
• 53:06
  Speaker 4: And they never seem to have found you out?
• 53:09
  Speaker 3: Do you think I've found myself out?
• 53:11
  Speaker 4: You have found the other people out? And that's very
• 53:15
  Speaker 4: much the same thing. I tell you what. You ought
• 53:19
  Speaker 4: to come and live with me and Mary?
• 53:21
  Speaker 3: Nonsense.
• 53:23
  Speaker 4: It would be tremendously fine if you did that after
• 53:26
  Speaker 4: all these years. It would be magnificent.
• 53:30
  Speaker 14: Is this to go on?
• 53:31
  Speaker 2: No? I'm exceedingly sorry, Pendleton that you and Missus Pendleton
• 53:35
  Speaker 2: should be in such a scene. To Leonard, I'll ask
• 53:38
  Speaker 2: you to leave the house. Mary may stay if she pleases.
• 53:42
  Speaker 4: But I want my dinner.
• 53:43
  Speaker 2: You can get your dinner at home.
• 53:45
  Speaker 4: Mary.
• 53:46
  Speaker 7: There's not much I'll go with you.
• 53:49
  Speaker 9: Now.
• 53:49
  Speaker 2: Look here, tremble not a word, and I've something to
• 53:53
  Speaker 2: say to you before you go.
• 53:55
  Speaker 4: I'm afraid it's something nasty.
• 53:57
  Speaker 2: Yes, sir, it's something nasty. I've been making you an
• 54:00
  Speaker 2: allowance at the rate of three hundred a year. It
• 54:03
  Speaker 2: will stop at once here.
• 54:06
  Speaker 4: You can't do that, can't I I will, but it
• 54:09
  Speaker 4: wouldn't be cricket. You couldn't possibly do that. How are
• 54:14
  Speaker 4: we to live without it?
• 54:15
  Speaker 2: That's your business.
• 54:17
  Speaker 4: You made me marry Mary. It was the condition. The
• 54:21
  Speaker 4: condition was implied.
• 54:23
  Speaker 2: Silence you forget. We are not alone.
• 54:25
  Speaker 4: Oh what's the use of these disguises? They know all
• 54:30
  Speaker 4: about it. Let us accept what's past, Missus Pendleton. I
• 54:35
  Speaker 4: needn't make any apologies. All this must be frightfully interesting
• 54:40
  Speaker 4: to you, mister Pendleton. I shall want your help. I
• 54:44
  Speaker 4: put it to you as an honest businessman. But you're joking, sir,
• 54:48
  Speaker 4: You're joking.
• 54:49
  Speaker 2: You'll see whether I'm joking.
• 54:51
  Speaker 3: Do you intend to punish Mary too?
• 54:54
  Speaker 2: I shall allow her. I shall allow her two pounds
• 54:58
  Speaker 2: a week, and see that it is paid her.
• 55:01
  Speaker 3: What you propose is unfair. You can't do it.
• 55:04
  Speaker 2: Perhaps you would like to go and live with them
• 55:06
  Speaker 2: as he proposes.
• 55:07
  Speaker 3: I've no income. You've never paid my wages.
• 55:11
  Speaker 2: Wages.
• 55:13
  Speaker 3: Yes, there's something in what those suffrage people say. I'm
• 55:16
  Speaker 3: at your mercy. I suppose so is Leonard, so is Ada.
• 55:21
  Speaker 3: I suppose Edgar is getting out of your clutches.
• 55:24
  Speaker 2: Do you think to gain your point I talk like this.
• 55:27
  Speaker 3: No, this is for my own satisfaction. I'm vexed with you.
• 55:30
  Speaker 2: You don't think that I gave any credence to that
• 55:33
  Speaker 2: boy's abominable suggestions.
• 55:35
  Speaker 4: Please don't talk about that now. There is something more
• 55:38
  Speaker 4: serious to consider.
• 55:39
  Speaker 3: Don't talk about it now either.
• 55:42
  Speaker 4: I don't see how we can talk about anything else.
• 55:45
  Speaker 4: We must have an income, mister Pendle. Then I appeal
• 55:48
  Speaker 4: to you, Nay, let him calm down.
• 55:51
  Speaker 2: I shall not calm down. I am perfectly calm. The
• 55:55
  Speaker 2: fellow shall suffer. It will do him.
• 55:57
  Speaker 3: Good, and Mary and the child must suffer.
• 56:01
  Speaker 11: Ah. Now, mister Timbrel, your grandchild.
• 56:05
  Speaker 7: He hasn't seen him, not seen him.
• 56:09
  Speaker 11: Oh, mister Timbrel, you're the one that's to.
• 56:13
  Speaker 2: Blame, really, Madam, I can't discuss the matter with you.
• 56:17
  Speaker 2: I've said what I mean to do.
• 56:19
  Speaker 14: It's about time. This dinner was ready, isn't it?
• 56:21
  Speaker 4: And to think that all this bother is through a
• 56:23
  Speaker 4: confounded chimney. They might have been comfortable at the table,
• 56:28
  Speaker 4: but incomes secure. What do you think of governors? Proposed
• 56:32
  Speaker 4: sal Edgar as a business man. Don't talk to me, no, brother.
• 56:37
  Speaker 1: Bouncing from the chair on which he had seated himself.
• 56:40
  Speaker 2: I tell you I will not stand.
• 56:43
  Speaker 1: Entered, maidservant.
• 56:44
  Speaker 13: Dinner is served.
• 56:45
  Speaker 1: Those who are seated rise hesitatingly. Timbrel glares about him,
• 56:51
  Speaker 1: and then offers his arm to missus Pendleton, who accompanies
• 56:54
  Speaker 1: him out of the room. Sheila and Ada follow Edgar
• 56:59
  Speaker 1: offers his arm to Mary, who shakes her head. Pendleton
• 57:03
  Speaker 1: offers his arm to missus Timbrel.
• 57:06
  Speaker 3: Excuse me for a moment.
• 57:08
  Speaker 1: She turns to Mary and Leonard.
• 57:10
  Speaker 3: What are you going to do?
• 57:12
  Speaker 4: Well? We don't seem to be wanted here.
• 57:15
  Speaker 10: Better, I'll come.
• 57:16
  Speaker 7: I want to go home.
• 57:18
  Speaker 4: Yes, it's all right for you. When you get to
• 57:21
  Speaker 4: your baby.
• 57:22
  Speaker 3: I'll follow you.
• 57:22
  Speaker 10: Mister Pendleton, Well, i'll just see what trembles up to.
• 57:27
  Speaker 1: Now he goes out.
• 57:29
  Speaker 3: I think you had better not stay.
• 57:31
  Speaker 7: No, let us go.
• 57:33
  Speaker 4: I have made a mess of it, mother.
• 57:35
  Speaker 3: Never mind that.
• 57:37
  Speaker 4: No, that doesn't matter. But I have heard you. I
• 57:41
  Speaker 4: have shaken you. You look pale and cure.
• 57:44
  Speaker 8: Now.
• 57:45
  Speaker 4: I have no reverence. I am selfish, but I can sympathize.
• 57:52
  Speaker 4: Do you see that I understand you better than anyone does? Mother?
• 57:57
  Speaker 4: I know you, I know you better, I like you more.
• 58:02
  Speaker 4: You don't properly exist without me. Did I say some
• 58:05
  Speaker 4: horrible things about you? I really don't know what I meant.
• 58:10
  Speaker 4: It was a kind of inspiration. Oh yes, I know
• 58:15
  Speaker 4: the proper things to say about one's mother.
• 58:17
  Speaker 3: But I'm a mother like the rest.
• 58:20
  Speaker 7: He doesn't understand that. He wants to see all sorts
• 58:23
  Speaker 7: of things in you.
• 58:24
  Speaker 3: We're just mothers, aren't we.
• 58:26
  Speaker 4: Mary?
• 58:27
  Speaker 7: That's the best?
• 58:28
  Speaker 4: Yes, Mary is a mother? But what of you? Poor thing?
• 58:33
  Speaker 4: Look at us, look at Edgar and me and Ada,
• 58:38
  Speaker 4: look at the finished product. What's the good of it?
• 58:42
  Speaker 4: What's the good of being a mother when one's children's
• 58:44
  Speaker 4: are grown up? I can understand Mary. I have watched
• 58:48
  Speaker 4: her with the baby. There has been something suppressed and
• 58:52
  Speaker 4: killed in You.
• 58:53
  Speaker 7: Don't say these things to her.
• 58:55
  Speaker 4: Failure is written on her face.
• 58:58
  Speaker 3: Don't don't.
• 58:59
  Speaker 4: I am at best in saying such things.
• 59:02
  Speaker 3: But they hard.
• 59:03
  Speaker 7: You only care for yourself.
• 59:06
  Speaker 4: She must be hurt. We have let her alone all
• 59:08
  Speaker 4: these years. She ought to have rewaltered. She ought to
• 59:13
  Speaker 4: be alive.
• 59:13
  Speaker 3: Now I remember you, all his babies, his children. I've
• 59:18
  Speaker 3: got the past.
• 59:20
  Speaker 4: Was I always your favorite mother?
• 59:22
  Speaker 3: I won't say that.
• 59:24
  Speaker 1: She listens for a moment to a distant sound.
• 59:27
  Speaker 3: Perhaps you'd better go, Edgar enters.
• 59:30
  Speaker 14: Aren't you coming?
• 59:31
  Speaker 4: Mother?
• 59:32
  Speaker 14: Is most awkward? It'll be an awful row?
• 59:35
  Speaker 3: Yes, Edgar? Is it any use they're coming? Mister Pendleton
• 59:39
  Speaker 3: was going to see whether.
• 59:41
  Speaker 14: I don't think it's the slightest use. He's boiling over.
• 59:44
  Speaker 4: Oh, let us go, come on, but look here, it's
• 59:49
  Speaker 4: no use of her going home. Edgar, lend us a sovereign.
• 59:53
  Speaker 14: You'd condescend to borrow from me?
• 59:55
  Speaker 4: Then, my dear fellow, you don't seem to understand that
• 59:59
  Speaker 4: I am magnan.
• 1:00:01
  Speaker 14: Ha ha.
• 1:00:02
  Speaker 4: You think that's a joke. You never see my jokes.
• 1:00:06
  Speaker 14: I can't stay.
• 1:00:07
  Speaker 4: Have you any money about you?
• 1:00:09
  Speaker 3: Mother to Edgar, give it to him.
• 1:00:12
  Speaker 4: Mother will repay you out of the housekeeping.
• 1:00:15
  Speaker 1: Edgar fumbles in his pocket.
• 1:00:17
  Speaker 4: Look here, make it two pounds. Mida and I don't
• 1:00:21
  Speaker 4: often have a treat together. It's a special location. We
• 1:00:25
  Speaker 4: may as well do it handsome for once. What about
• 1:00:29
  Speaker 4: the savoy and the music hall? Mary, you look the
• 1:00:31
  Speaker 4: part fine.
• 1:00:33
  Speaker 3: I wonder if i'd not better go home, go and
• 1:00:35
  Speaker 3: enjoy yourself.
• 1:00:36
  Speaker 1: My dear Edgar hands money to Leonard, who looks at it.
• 1:00:41
  Speaker 4: Well, I am damned one pound ten quite enough too.
• 1:00:46
  Speaker 4: It's not that I'm thinking of, it's the extraordinary meanness
• 1:00:50
  Speaker 4: of your character.
• 1:00:52
  Speaker 5: Enter Ada, Mother, do come, he says, I'm to bring
• 1:00:55
  Speaker 5: you else the family Bible.
• 1:00:57
  Speaker 4: The devil I'll come.
• 1:01:00
  Speaker 1: Curtain falls. End of Act two, Act three of Mary
• 1:01:11
  Speaker 1: Broome by Alan Munkhouse. This is a LibriVox recording. All
• 1:01:16
  Speaker 1: LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more information
• 1:01:20
  Speaker 1: or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox dot org. Act three,
• 1:01:28
  Speaker 1: rather poor lodgings. Mary, neatly but very plainly dressed, is
• 1:01:34
  Speaker 1: sewing at a child's garment. Leonard sprawls on the sofa,
• 1:01:38
  Speaker 1: smoking cheap cigarettes. He is carelessly dressed to the point
• 1:01:44
  Speaker 1: of slovenliness, and a little anxiety begins to show through
• 1:01:48
  Speaker 1: his calmness, which is generally maintained. It is afternoon, two
• 1:01:53
  Speaker 1: or three months have elapsed.
• 1:01:56
  Speaker 4: I don't think it's that the old man's mean. He
• 1:02:00
  Speaker 4: has gotten on the high hours and doesn't know how
• 1:02:02
  Speaker 4: to get down.
• 1:02:03
  Speaker 7: We ought to take the money from your mother. It's
• 1:02:06
  Speaker 7: very hard for her.
• 1:02:07
  Speaker 4: Oh, but it only means that she gives them rice
• 1:02:11
  Speaker 4: pudding instead of gooseberry tired. It will do them good.
• 1:02:16
  Speaker 4: I expect the old man sees the difference, and pretancy doesn't,
• 1:02:19
  Speaker 4: and Edgar will be furious.
• 1:02:21
  Speaker 7: If little Leonard had a brother and they were like
• 1:02:23
  Speaker 7: you and your brother, I couldn't bear that.
• 1:02:26
  Speaker 4: It's a long way off, old lady.
• 1:02:29
  Speaker 7: Things aren't a long way off. If you think they
• 1:02:31
  Speaker 7: might come.
• 1:02:32
  Speaker 4: Don't worry now, don't worry.
• 1:02:34
  Speaker 7: I'm a great deal happier than you.
• 1:02:36
  Speaker 4: I've got him, well, haven't I.
• 1:02:39
  Speaker 7: No, you haven't not like me.
• 1:02:42
  Speaker 4: You don't think I am such a bad father, do you.
• 1:02:45
  Speaker 7: I don't know. You're funny with him, and I like
• 1:02:47
  Speaker 7: to see you together, But well, you keep spending the.
• 1:02:50
  Speaker 4: Money, but maybe you don't know how much more I
• 1:02:54
  Speaker 4: could spend if I had it.
• 1:02:56
  Speaker 7: And so clever as you are, you don't make any
• 1:02:59
  Speaker 7: I mean, don't make much.
• 1:03:01
  Speaker 4: You see, in my rate, the better you are, the
• 1:03:05
  Speaker 4: more wretchedly you get paid. You keep telling me that,
• 1:03:09
  Speaker 4: and you don't believe it.
• 1:03:10
  Speaker 7: Yes, or do I think you mean it? I don't
• 1:03:13
  Speaker 7: think it can be quite true. I think you could
• 1:03:16
  Speaker 7: get more money if you tried. You're clever enough to
• 1:03:18
  Speaker 7: write the way they want.
• 1:03:20
  Speaker 4: What do you care for most in the world, barring
• 1:03:23
  Speaker 4: the baby?
• 1:03:24
  Speaker 7: I don't think there's anything. Oh, I beg your pardon.
• 1:03:29
  Speaker 7: Of course there's you.
• 1:03:30
  Speaker 4: Never mind me. Could you believe that I care more
• 1:03:34
  Speaker 4: about writing my own way than for anything?
• 1:03:37
  Speaker 7: I suppose it's good to care for something, but that
• 1:03:40
  Speaker 7: seems selfish.
• 1:03:41
  Speaker 4: You're beginning to feel a bit of resentment. You don't
• 1:03:44
  Speaker 4: hate me yet, do you?
• 1:03:46
  Speaker 7: No, of course not.
• 1:03:47
  Speaker 4: I shouldn't blame you. You are a wonderful, even tempered person.
• 1:03:52
  Speaker 4: I sometimes wonder whether I'm right about the streak of
• 1:03:56
  Speaker 4: wildness in you. Do you think you could do strange things?
• 1:04:00
  Speaker 4: What shall I say? Wicked things?
• 1:04:03
  Speaker 7: I've done one wicked thing does.
• 1:04:05
  Speaker 4: It trouble you, Mary? Does it still trouble you? Would
• 1:04:09
  Speaker 4: you alter it?
• 1:04:10
  Speaker 7: Then I shouldn't have little Leonard. I can never understand
• 1:04:14
  Speaker 7: if I'd known of him, if I'd thought of little Leonard,
• 1:04:17
  Speaker 7: then it couldn't be wrong. But how could I think
• 1:04:20
  Speaker 7: of him when he wasn't born? It was wicked. It
• 1:04:23
  Speaker 7: wasn't like me.
• 1:04:25
  Speaker 4: You did think of him, Mary, No, you didn't think.
• 1:04:28
  Speaker 4: It's not thought. It was nature, something bigger than you,
• 1:04:33
  Speaker 4: forcing you, forcing you to bring little Leonard into the world.
• 1:04:38
  Speaker 4: Now take comfort in that, my girl, There is some
• 1:04:41
  Speaker 4: comfort in it.
• 1:04:42
  Speaker 7: I can't see what it's got to do with him.
• 1:04:44
  Speaker 7: It's not children I care for, it's him. Well he's
• 1:04:48
  Speaker 7: here now, I've got him.
• 1:04:50
  Speaker 4: Now quite right, my dear.
• 1:04:53
  Speaker 7: But I think he ought to have Lubbock's food regularly.
• 1:04:55
  Speaker 7: And we must have a perambulator.
• 1:04:57
  Speaker 4: Well, this must go to taking out.
• 1:05:00
  Speaker 1: His watch, which you will you looking ruefully at the watch.
• 1:05:06
  Speaker 4: You'd better take me at my word. My generous moods
• 1:05:09
  Speaker 4: don't last, shall I take it?
• 1:05:11
  Speaker 1: He is slowly unhooking the watch when there is a
• 1:05:14
  Speaker 1: knock at the door, and missus Greeves the landlady comes in.
• 1:05:19
  Speaker 1: He puts the watch in his pocket.
• 1:05:21
  Speaker 4: I should like a word, sir, a whole mystery, if
• 1:05:24
  Speaker 4: you like, Missus Greaves. Sir, I was only quoting Shakespeare.
• 1:05:29
  Speaker 4: Missus Greaves.
• 1:05:30
  Speaker 12: I know nothing about him, sir.
• 1:05:32
  Speaker 4: He's the man that writes the place.
• 1:05:35
  Speaker 12: There's some people too fond of plays and such things.
• 1:05:38
  Speaker 4: Now, I hope you are not going to attack Shakespeare,
• 1:05:41
  Speaker 4: Missus Greaves.
• 1:05:42
  Speaker 12: I'm taking nothing, sir, but I should like a word.
• 1:05:45
  Speaker 12: And perhaps it would be more pleasant if Missus the
• 1:05:49
  Speaker 12: Lady wasn't here.
• 1:05:51
  Speaker 4: Why must Missus the lady be here?
• 1:05:56
  Speaker 12: It's says you like. I must tell you perfectly, Frank,
• 1:06:01
  Speaker 12: that there has been some talk about you. I know
• 1:06:05
  Speaker 12: that lady that comes here to see you is your mother,
• 1:06:08
  Speaker 12: and that I don't understand. But I've heard tell of
• 1:06:12
  Speaker 12: carryings on with a housemaid, and it is said as
• 1:06:15
  Speaker 12: you're not married. I know mothers'll do a good deal
• 1:06:19
  Speaker 12: for their sons, but I must say, whose is this?
• 1:06:23
  Speaker 12: It's not only one. There's mister Waleses the milkman, and
• 1:06:27
  Speaker 12: he does a good round and he is a lot.
• 1:06:30
  Speaker 4: We shall have no more dealings with mister wales.
• 1:06:33
  Speaker 12: You wouldn't anyhow till he got paid.
• 1:06:36
  Speaker 7: No more milk.
• 1:06:37
  Speaker 12: No, and it's not only.
• 1:06:39
  Speaker 4: Milk, Missus Grease. This lady is my wife, and any
• 1:06:44
  Speaker 4: one who says she isn't he's telling an abominable lie.
• 1:06:48
  Speaker 4: I'm surprised that you should listen to such stuff.
• 1:06:51
  Speaker 12: Of course, I know she's got on a ring and
• 1:06:53
  Speaker 12: all that, but that's what they do. And I can't
• 1:06:56
  Speaker 12: afford to be out of my money. I really can't.
• 1:07:00
  Speaker 12: I don't want to be hard, but my account.
• 1:07:02
  Speaker 3: Must be settled.
• 1:07:03
  Speaker 4: Now. First of all, missus Grieves, you will apologize to
• 1:07:07
  Speaker 4: my wife. Then we'll settle the other matter.
• 1:07:10
  Speaker 12: I'm sure I'm sorry if there's been a mistake, I've
• 1:07:14
  Speaker 12: no call to make mischief. I'll ask your pardon, ma'am.
• 1:07:17
  Speaker 12: Very willing. But mister Wales, he said, and he's only
• 1:07:21
  Speaker 12: saying what others.
• 1:07:23
  Speaker 4: No more of that. Now, if you want to have
• 1:07:27
  Speaker 4: your bill paid.
• 1:07:28
  Speaker 12: You can be made to pay.
• 1:07:31
  Speaker 4: And so can you be made to pay? Do you
• 1:07:34
  Speaker 4: know what you have done done?
• 1:07:37
  Speaker 12: I know I've been done.
• 1:07:38
  Speaker 4: Good, Missus Greeves, very good. I'm glad you can joke
• 1:07:43
  Speaker 4: about it. It may be no joke for you.
• 1:07:46
  Speaker 12: What do you mean?
• 1:07:48
  Speaker 4: It's slander? They give very heavy damages.
• 1:07:51
  Speaker 12: Now for slander, I've only mentioned what I've been told.
• 1:07:55
  Speaker 4: Yes, that's slander. It's sometimes called defamation of character, same thing.
• 1:08:01
  Speaker 12: I'm sure I'd no intention at all of saying anything.
• 1:08:05
  Speaker 12: I've been very lenient too.
• 1:08:07
  Speaker 4: Perhaps he will give me the name of your solicitor,
• 1:08:09
  Speaker 4: Missus Greeves.
• 1:08:11
  Speaker 12: What for? I haven't got a solicitor. I don't understand
• 1:08:15
  Speaker 12: what you want.
• 1:08:16
  Speaker 7: I think he's joking, Missus Greeves at at.
• 1:08:20
  Speaker 12: I know slander's a nasty law, but I can't see
• 1:08:23
  Speaker 12: as I've said anything.
• 1:08:25
  Speaker 4: It's not all a joke. Mary. You may tell your
• 1:08:27
  Speaker 4: whales and people that if I hear another word about it,
• 1:08:32
  Speaker 4: I go straight to a solicitor. I'll tell him, sir,
• 1:08:36
  Speaker 4: very well, you may go, Missus Greeves.
• 1:08:39
  Speaker 7: Solicitor's luck to be paid too, turning at the door,
• 1:08:42
  Speaker 7: and what about my bills, sir?
• 1:08:45
  Speaker 4: It shall be attended to.
• 1:08:46
  Speaker 12: I've heard that very often.
• 1:08:49
  Speaker 4: It's a bit stale, isn't it. I apologize for the
• 1:08:52
  Speaker 4: old bees. Well, you see, there's a parambulat at first,
• 1:08:57
  Speaker 4: the what, sir, The first many we get is for
• 1:09:00
  Speaker 4: a perambulator. No, the first is for a pint or
• 1:09:04
  Speaker 4: a peck or whatever it is of what's his name's
• 1:09:07
  Speaker 4: food for the baby, second the perambulator. You're only third,
• 1:09:13
  Speaker 4: Missus Greeves, rather a bad third. But your turn will come.
• 1:09:18
  Speaker 7: It's not fair to her. She ought to be paid,
• 1:09:21
  Speaker 7: of course she ought.
• 1:09:23
  Speaker 4: We ought all to be paid. I am in favor
• 1:09:25
  Speaker 4: of handsome incomes all around, and I hope Lloyd George
• 1:09:29
  Speaker 4: will take it up. But look here, missus Greeves, we
• 1:09:33
  Speaker 4: are all in the same boat. Now, is there anything
• 1:09:36
  Speaker 4: you would like to paw? I'm treating you as a friend,
• 1:09:40
  Speaker 4: as your watch, there is my watch. My wife suggests
• 1:09:44
  Speaker 4: my watch a nuisance to me, of course, as a friend,
• 1:09:49
  Speaker 4: Missus Greaves, what do you say to that?
• 1:09:52
  Speaker 3: I should be.
• 1:09:52
  Speaker 12: Sorry, sir, but I must have my money.
• 1:09:55
  Speaker 4: You shall have it with compound interest at five percent.
• 1:09:58
  Speaker 4: Do you know what that means?
• 1:10:00
  Speaker 12: I think so.
• 1:10:02
  Speaker 4: It's more than what you can get safely elsewhere. So
• 1:10:05
  Speaker 4: it means that the longer we keep you out of
• 1:10:08
  Speaker 4: your money, the more it'll be to your advantage.
• 1:10:11
  Speaker 12: I think you're a funny gentleman.
• 1:10:14
  Speaker 4: To Mary, she found me out.
• 1:10:16
  Speaker 7: Missus Greeves. We've got some money coming in in a
• 1:10:19
  Speaker 7: day or two, at least I think so. But I'm
• 1:10:22
  Speaker 7: anxious about the baby and I must have some for it.
• 1:10:25
  Speaker 7: I will pay you, I will.
• 1:10:27
  Speaker 12: Can you give me a little?
• 1:10:29
  Speaker 7: Yes, you shall have something tomorrow.
• 1:10:31
  Speaker 12: I think I know of an old perambulator.
• 1:10:34
  Speaker 7: Do you could we borrow it? We'd pay when we could.
• 1:10:38
  Speaker 12: I'll see.
• 1:10:39
  Speaker 7: Thank you, missus Greeves.
• 1:10:41
  Speaker 12: I don't want to be hard.
• 1:10:43
  Speaker 7: You've been very kind.
• 1:10:44
  Speaker 12: Perhaps there'd be no harm in letting the doctor have
• 1:10:47
  Speaker 12: a look at the baby.
• 1:10:48
  Speaker 7: Do you think so? Do you think he's You know
• 1:10:51
  Speaker 7: about babies too, don't you.
• 1:10:53
  Speaker 12: I should do. I've had seven of my own.
• 1:10:56
  Speaker 7: We'll have the doctor, and thank you, missus Greeves.
• 1:11:00
  Speaker 12: I've been a bit solved.
• 1:11:01
  Speaker 1: I know that she goes out.
• 1:11:04
  Speaker 7: Will you sell your watch then? Or porn it?
• 1:11:07
  Speaker 4: Oh?
• 1:11:08
  Speaker 7: And will you bring the doctor first?
• 1:11:10
  Speaker 4: Now? Is that necessary?
• 1:11:12
  Speaker 7: And we must have some money for her to morrow?
• 1:11:14
  Speaker 4: You choked her off very well. I can't keep serious enough.
• 1:11:18
  Speaker 7: She must have it.
• 1:11:20
  Speaker 4: Where is all this money to come from?
• 1:11:22
  Speaker 7: There's your watch. I've not many things. Some of my
• 1:11:25
  Speaker 7: clothes could go. I can't lose my wedding ring.
• 1:11:28
  Speaker 1: She moves towards the door.
• 1:11:31
  Speaker 4: Where are you going?
• 1:11:32
  Speaker 7: I'm going to look at him.
• 1:11:34
  Speaker 4: Wait a moment, this is getting serious. I will write
• 1:11:37
  Speaker 4: to my mother again. I'll ask her to come. It's
• 1:11:41
  Speaker 4: absurd he thinks he's teaching me a listen, I suppose
• 1:11:46
  Speaker 4: he is very Do you remember exactly what he said
• 1:11:50
  Speaker 4: that day? I mean about the three hundred pounds. The
• 1:11:55
  Speaker 4: old man's very particular about keeping his word. That sort
• 1:11:58
  Speaker 4: of people always are, aren't you. Shall I explain to
• 1:12:03
  Speaker 4: you what a promise is. I know, ah, yes, it
• 1:12:08
  Speaker 4: would spoil you to understand these things. And I'm losing
• 1:12:11
  Speaker 4: all my lightness of touch. I was rather stupid just
• 1:12:15
  Speaker 4: now with missus griefs. I didn't handle it well.
• 1:12:19
  Speaker 7: You must go to your father and tell him how
• 1:12:21
  Speaker 7: we are. It's different now I'm frightened about little Leonard.
• 1:12:24
  Speaker 3: I'll go.
• 1:12:25
  Speaker 7: If you don't, I can get milk. I don't want
• 1:12:28
  Speaker 7: to do it, but if I must, I will milk.
• 1:12:30
  Speaker 7: You were to say that mister Wales wouldn't let us
• 1:12:32
  Speaker 7: have any more George Truffit wild Let me.
• 1:12:35
  Speaker 4: Have some George Truffet.
• 1:12:37
  Speaker 7: Yes, I shall be ashamed to go to him, but
• 1:12:39
  Speaker 7: I'll do it.
• 1:12:40
  Speaker 4: I had forgotten about George Truffet. I hadn't my rival,
• 1:12:45
  Speaker 4: the milkman, isn't he?
• 1:12:47
  Speaker 7: Yes, he's a milkman.
• 1:12:49
  Speaker 4: There is something rather piquen in this. I wonder whether
• 1:12:53
  Speaker 4: George Truffet would appreciate it. I suppose he wouldn't poison
• 1:12:58
  Speaker 4: the milk.
• 1:12:58
  Speaker 7: Poison the milk.
• 1:13:00
  Speaker 4: No, I am getting a bit heavy handed. That's stupid.
• 1:13:05
  Speaker 4: What is he like? What's George like?
• 1:13:10
  Speaker 3: You know where?
• 1:13:11
  Speaker 7: You've got him?
• 1:13:12
  Speaker 4: A fine fellow?
• 1:13:13
  Speaker 7: Is he You can trust him?
• 1:13:15
  Speaker 4: That's something? Isn't it a good deal? Now? Now, now
• 1:13:20
  Speaker 4: you're contrasting him with me. You're thinking that I can't
• 1:13:23
  Speaker 4: be trusted. You mustn't do that, warn't you now?
• 1:13:28
  Speaker 7: I was thinking of you both.
• 1:13:29
  Speaker 4: You are married to me.
• 1:13:30
  Speaker 7: Maybe I'm not complaining.
• 1:13:33
  Speaker 4: Do you love me?
• 1:13:34
  Speaker 3: Mayry?
• 1:13:34
  Speaker 7: Sometimes I think I do.
• 1:13:37
  Speaker 4: Do you think I love you? Do you? Sometimes I
• 1:13:40
  Speaker 4: think I do. I am a bit afraid of you.
• 1:13:43
  Speaker 7: Though, of me afraid.
• 1:13:45
  Speaker 4: I'm afraid of the truth. I'm afraid of the hardness
• 1:13:49
  Speaker 4: at the back of things. I like ideas and changes
• 1:13:53
  Speaker 4: and poses and all the rest of it. You make
• 1:13:57
  Speaker 4: me uneasy.
• 1:13:59
  Speaker 7: I shall never understand you.
• 1:14:01
  Speaker 4: I think you understand me very well. It's only the
• 1:14:04
  Speaker 4: things I say you don't understand, poor girl, I bewilder you.
• 1:14:11
  Speaker 4: You are quite right. I'm what you see. You keep
• 1:14:15
  Speaker 4: thinking you don't understand, and that I may be better
• 1:14:19
  Speaker 4: than that. You are a brave, humble person. By God,
• 1:14:23
  Speaker 4: there is no one like you. I wish I was different.
• 1:14:28
  Speaker 4: I wish I was like George Ruffett, only.
• 1:14:30
  Speaker 7: A little bit like him? Yourself too?
• 1:14:33
  Speaker 4: What must I do to be saved?
• 1:14:35
  Speaker 7: Now? You're talking queer again?
• 1:14:37
  Speaker 4: What is it you want? I see you watching me anxiously.
• 1:14:41
  Speaker 4: Sometimes I can't make myself into another person, but I
• 1:14:45
  Speaker 4: would like to please you. What do you want me
• 1:14:48
  Speaker 4: to do?
• 1:14:49
  Speaker 7: I suppose it's a lot of little things?
• 1:14:51
  Speaker 4: Yes, yes, can you tell me some of them?
• 1:14:55
  Speaker 7: Well, we're talking here. You might have gone for the doctor.
• 1:14:58
  Speaker 4: The doctor you forget him.
• 1:15:00
  Speaker 7: You often forget all about little Leonard Rising. I must
• 1:15:04
  Speaker 7: go to him.
• 1:15:05
  Speaker 4: Ah. Yes, missus grief said he was peaked. Peaked? Good word,
• 1:15:10
  Speaker 4: isn't it? Shakespeare has said, you know, shall he dwindle?
• 1:15:15
  Speaker 4: Peak and pine?
• 1:15:17
  Speaker 7: But you don't think he's pining?
• 1:15:18
  Speaker 4: Do you?
• 1:15:19
  Speaker 8: No?
• 1:15:20
  Speaker 4: No, I am only quoting the poet.
• 1:15:22
  Speaker 7: Why do you say things like that just to amuse yourself?
• 1:15:26
  Speaker 7: And you might know they frighten me. That's it. You
• 1:15:29
  Speaker 7: don't think of other people except now and then when
• 1:15:32
  Speaker 7: you seem to get interested.
• 1:15:34
  Speaker 4: I'll go for the doctor, yes, thank you. Anything else
• 1:15:37
  Speaker 4: I can do?
• 1:15:38
  Speaker 7: Would they trust us for Lubbock's food?
• 1:15:41
  Speaker 4: I'll pawn my watch.
• 1:15:42
  Speaker 7: Wait, we'll see what the doctor says.
• 1:15:45
  Speaker 4: Well, I won't be five.
• 1:15:46
  Speaker 7: Minutes, thank you very much.
• 1:15:48
  Speaker 4: Indeed, no, my dear girl, don't put it like that.
• 1:15:52
  Speaker 1: There is a ring at the front door.
• 1:15:53
  Speaker 4: Bell anyone for us? I wonder.
• 1:15:56
  Speaker 7: Oh, I must tell you. My mother might come. My
• 1:16:00
  Speaker 7: father will come too, but he couldn't get off. Now.
• 1:16:03
  Speaker 4: Of course you've got parents too, haven't you.
• 1:16:06
  Speaker 7: Don't you ever think of that?
• 1:16:07
  Speaker 4: But where have they been all this time?
• 1:16:10
  Speaker 7: They didn't know where I lived.
• 1:16:11
  Speaker 4: They could have got the address from my mother.
• 1:16:14
  Speaker 7: I wrote and told them I'd gone to Canada. I
• 1:16:16
  Speaker 7: felt I couldn't face them then, and now my mother
• 1:16:19
  Speaker 7: knows a lot about babies. I want to see her.
• 1:16:23
  Speaker 7: You won't like them. I'm afraid. I think someone's coming in.
• 1:16:26
  Speaker 4: Oh, I'm sure I shall find them quite amusing. No,
• 1:16:31
  Speaker 4: I don't mean that, I mean interesting interesting. That's what
• 1:16:35
  Speaker 4: I mean when I see amusing.
• 1:16:38
  Speaker 7: They're coming up that's my father's voice.
• 1:16:41
  Speaker 4: Let's see what does he do?
• 1:16:43
  Speaker 7: He's a cabman.
• 1:16:45
  Speaker 4: Heavens are that such things still? A growler? Or what?
• 1:16:50
  Speaker 1: The door opens and Missus greaves ushers in. Mister and
• 1:16:53
  Speaker 1: Missus Broom. He is dingerly arrayed, but confronts misfortunes with
• 1:16:58
  Speaker 1: a slightly defiant air. She is a rather sharp, quiet woman,
• 1:17:03
  Speaker 1: shabbily dressed. She does not display much tenderness to her daughter,
• 1:17:08
  Speaker 1: but regards her with some solicitude. Missus Greeves watches the
• 1:17:12
  Speaker 1: greetings curiously before retiring after kisses from father and mother.
• 1:17:18
  Speaker 7: This is my husband.
• 1:17:21
  Speaker 1: There is some rather stiff handshaking.
• 1:17:24
  Speaker 7: Sit down, mother, Sit down, mister Broom. Baby's not very well,
• 1:17:28
  Speaker 7: as I told you, mother, and he's just off for
• 1:17:30
  Speaker 7: the doctor to Leonard.
• 1:17:32
  Speaker 4: Will you go, yes, certainly?
• 1:17:35
  Speaker 8: Is he coming back?
• 1:17:37
  Speaker 4: Good? Mister Broom? Good you read my thoughts. What I
• 1:17:41
  Speaker 4: was just wondering whether I was coming back how soon?
• 1:17:45
  Speaker 8: I mean, well, it'd only be polite. And you've got
• 1:17:49
  Speaker 8: nothing to do. It seems you're out of a job too,
• 1:17:53
  Speaker 8: are you.
• 1:17:53
  Speaker 3: Father.
• 1:17:54
  Speaker 9: I they've chucked him at last, when only yesterday.
• 1:17:59
  Speaker 8: So there's two on us at a loose end.
• 1:18:02
  Speaker 4: Yes, we ought to see something of another, mister Broom.
• 1:18:06
  Speaker 4: But I'm not exactly out of job. I have never
• 1:18:09
  Speaker 4: been in one.
• 1:18:10
  Speaker 8: Oh, A gentleman of means.
• 1:18:13
  Speaker 4: Without means, mister Broom, without means.
• 1:18:16
  Speaker 8: Then you've got someone to keep you. No, mister Broom, No,
• 1:18:21
  Speaker 8: then how are you going to get along?
• 1:18:24
  Speaker 4: That's just what's been bothering us.
• 1:18:27
  Speaker 8: You're a cool customer.
• 1:18:29
  Speaker 4: And how do you propose to get along? Mister Broom.
• 1:18:32
  Speaker 8: It's them blooming taxis that's done for me.
• 1:18:35
  Speaker 7: Can't you drive one? Father?
• 1:18:37
  Speaker 8: They wouldn't give me a try if I wanted, and
• 1:18:40
  Speaker 8: I don't want, I wouldn't touch the things.
• 1:18:43
  Speaker 4: You've had a bad luck to be attached to a
• 1:18:45
  Speaker 4: decaying industry.
• 1:18:47
  Speaker 8: Decaying my eye, there's no call for it to decay.
• 1:18:51
  Speaker 4: You don't hold with modern notions, progress and things, mister Broom.
• 1:18:56
  Speaker 8: I don't hold with taxis. They'll find out they're mister
• 1:19:01
  Speaker 8: He will talk like that, and so would you if
• 1:19:03
  Speaker 8: you'd drive a cab twenty nine years.
• 1:19:06
  Speaker 7: But the taxis go faster, farther, and you've only got
• 1:19:09
  Speaker 7: to pay the same.
• 1:19:10
  Speaker 8: Never mind that, why should they injure an established trade?
• 1:19:15
  Speaker 8: Why should they spoil other trades. What's a country without
• 1:19:19
  Speaker 8: its trades? That's the way he talks, Mark my words,
• 1:19:24
  Speaker 8: they'll find out their mistake. Look what's coming to the
• 1:19:27
  Speaker 8: breed of horses? Look at nosebags?
• 1:19:31
  Speaker 4: Nosebags?
• 1:19:32
  Speaker 8: Ay, I've been told of a firm as used to
• 1:19:35
  Speaker 8: turn out a matter of two hundred nose bags a week,
• 1:19:38
  Speaker 8: and now they don't do fifty.
• 1:19:41
  Speaker 9: He may get taken on in to muse muses.
• 1:19:43
  Speaker 8: Days are numbered.
• 1:19:45
  Speaker 4: The generation is knocking at our doors. Mister Broom? What
• 1:19:49
  Speaker 4: yours is an interesting type of conservatism.
• 1:19:52
  Speaker 8: I'm not a conservative. I'm a radical.
• 1:19:55
  Speaker 9: You brought a Tory last time?
• 1:19:57
  Speaker 8: Yes, and what have they done for me? I don't
• 1:20:00
  Speaker 8: hold with socialism, but I may be drove to it.
• 1:20:04
  Speaker 9: We came to hear about you, Mary.
• 1:20:06
  Speaker 8: And what's your profession, sir?
• 1:20:08
  Speaker 4: If I may ask, well, it's rather hard to define,
• 1:20:11
  Speaker 4: mister Broom. What am I marry?
• 1:20:14
  Speaker 7: He writes things?
• 1:20:15
  Speaker 8: What things?
• 1:20:17
  Speaker 4: Well? Shall we say? Sketches, critical impressions versus even stories.
• 1:20:24
  Speaker 8: Hardly work for a man, is it now?
• 1:20:27
  Speaker 7: Father?
• 1:20:28
  Speaker 4: Perhaps not? You see, mister Broom, you and I are
• 1:20:32
  Speaker 4: at the opposite ends. Without offense, I hope I refer
• 1:20:36
  Speaker 4: to yours as a dkaying industry with me. It's the
• 1:20:40
  Speaker 4: other way. They're not ready for me.
• 1:20:43
  Speaker 8: It don't pay at present.
• 1:20:45
  Speaker 4: It can hardly be said to pay.
• 1:20:47
  Speaker 8: Well. You can lend me a couple of sovereigns anyhow.
• 1:20:50
  Speaker 4: No, I should be charmed, mister Broom, but I haven't
• 1:20:55
  Speaker 4: got them. I was just wondering whether I might borrow
• 1:20:58
  Speaker 4: five pounds from you.
• 1:21:00
  Speaker 8: I just wanted to know how the land lies to Leonard.
• 1:21:04
  Speaker 7: Won't you go for the doctor now?
• 1:21:06
  Speaker 4: Yes?
• 1:21:06
  Speaker 7: Ay, though he takes his hat, you'll come back with.
• 1:21:10
  Speaker 4: Him, yes, if he can come. Goodbye for the present,
• 1:21:13
  Speaker 4: missus Bloom.
• 1:21:14
  Speaker 1: He goes out eerily.
• 1:21:16
  Speaker 9: Goodbye, sir, a cheerful young man. Now, my dear, perhaps
• 1:21:20
  Speaker 9: you'll explain.
• 1:21:21
  Speaker 7: I'm not going to explain much.
• 1:21:23
  Speaker 9: Mother, then explain a little.
• 1:21:25
  Speaker 7: I told you most of what I'm going to tell you.
• 1:21:28
  Speaker 9: Let's have the other bit.
• 1:21:30
  Speaker 8: What I want to know is are you married?
• 1:21:33
  Speaker 4: Yes?
• 1:21:33
  Speaker 7: I am prove it. My word's good enough.
• 1:21:37
  Speaker 9: Have you gone to Canada?
• 1:21:39
  Speaker 7: That's different?
• 1:21:40
  Speaker 9: One lies very like another.
• 1:21:43
  Speaker 7: There's my ring.
• 1:21:44
  Speaker 9: Any one can get a ring. Have you got your
• 1:21:47
  Speaker 9: marriage lines?
• 1:21:49
  Speaker 8: Hi, let's see the marriage lines.
• 1:21:52
  Speaker 7: I think you ought to take my word.
• 1:21:54
  Speaker 9: Let's see them.
• 1:21:55
  Speaker 7: I wouldn't but that I told you that lie about Canada.
• 1:21:58
  Speaker 7: It's the first I've ever told you.
• 1:22:00
  Speaker 3: Mother.
• 1:22:01
  Speaker 9: That's what frightens me.
• 1:22:02
  Speaker 8: Where are they?
• 1:22:04
  Speaker 3: They're in my purse.
• 1:22:05
  Speaker 1: She goes to drawer and brings out the purse.
• 1:22:08
  Speaker 7: There's nothing else in it.
• 1:22:10
  Speaker 9: They're better than money here.
• 1:22:12
  Speaker 1: Then she gives them the paper, which they scrutinize together.
• 1:22:16
  Speaker 8: That's all right, John, Ay, that seems all right.
• 1:22:20
  Speaker 1: Missus. Broom takes the paper from him and gives it
• 1:22:23
  Speaker 1: to Mary.
• 1:22:24
  Speaker 8: Put it away here, let's have another look at it.
• 1:22:27
  Speaker 9: Put it away, she's shown it us all right.
• 1:22:31
  Speaker 8: When was that baby born?
• 1:22:33
  Speaker 9: Never mind that?
• 1:22:34
  Speaker 8: How old is it?
• 1:22:36
  Speaker 9: What do you call him?
• 1:22:37
  Speaker 7: Mary Leonard? Like his father?
• 1:22:39
  Speaker 9: Is his father kind to you?
• 1:22:41
  Speaker 7: Yes?
• 1:22:42
  Speaker 8: Of course she'd say that, I'll have a talk with
• 1:22:45
  Speaker 8: that young man. I never thought a daughter of mine.
• 1:22:49
  Speaker 8: Now shut up, Oh, yes, take his part? Never mind me,
• 1:22:54
  Speaker 8: never mind my feelings. Do you mean to say? This
• 1:22:57
  Speaker 8: young toff's got no money?
• 1:22:59
  Speaker 7: Really, he's been brought up not to work, and his
• 1:23:02
  Speaker 7: father won't give him any.
• 1:23:03
  Speaker 8: Now ah, I see, I see vexed about this? Was
• 1:23:08
  Speaker 8: he and the young chap did the right thing? Well,
• 1:23:12
  Speaker 8: a good hearted lad. I see.
• 1:23:14
  Speaker 7: I won't talk about it. I've been miserable not to
• 1:23:17
  Speaker 7: come see you, mother, but I couldn't at first, and
• 1:23:20
  Speaker 7: time went on and I didn't like to and I
• 1:23:22
  Speaker 7: didn't know what to do.
• 1:23:24
  Speaker 9: Never mind that.
• 1:23:24
  Speaker 1: Now a ring at the door bell is heard.
• 1:23:27
  Speaker 7: That can't be the doctor.
• 1:23:28
  Speaker 9: Yet you don't have a many visitors.
• 1:23:30
  Speaker 7: I suppose I don't have any except sometimes missus Timbrel.
• 1:23:35
  Speaker 9: Perhaps Atur I'd like.
• 1:23:37
  Speaker 7: You to see her.
• 1:23:38
  Speaker 9: Some one's coming up.
• 1:23:40
  Speaker 1: I think it must be outside.
• 1:23:42
  Speaker 3: I know the way. Thank you.
• 1:23:44
  Speaker 1: She enters, carrying a little bunch of flowers.
• 1:23:47
  Speaker 7: Here's my mother and father.
• 1:23:49
  Speaker 3: Oh, how do you do?
• 1:23:50
  Speaker 1: She shakes hands.
• 1:23:52
  Speaker 3: I don't know why we've never met before.
• 1:23:54
  Speaker 8: We've never been here before.
• 1:23:57
  Speaker 3: Haven't you. I've not been many times. We must come often, eh.
• 1:24:02
  Speaker 1: She smiles embarrassments away.
• 1:24:04
  Speaker 8: Of course, I see, ma'am, that you're not like to
• 1:24:07
  Speaker 8: think as your son and my daughter's a fair match.
• 1:24:10
  Speaker 8: But I tell you now, John.
• 1:24:13
  Speaker 3: It's a very good match for him.
• 1:24:15
  Speaker 8: Eh.
• 1:24:16
  Speaker 3: He's lucky to marry such a girl as Mary.
• 1:24:19
  Speaker 8: He's not up too much himself, isn't he.
• 1:24:21
  Speaker 3: I didn't say that.
• 1:24:23
  Speaker 8: He seems to be kept rather short of brass.
• 1:24:26
  Speaker 1: Sees the flowers in her hands.
• 1:24:28
  Speaker 3: Oh I brought you these, Mary, it takes them.
• 1:24:32
  Speaker 7: Thank you, ma'am, Thank you, missus Timbrele.
• 1:24:34
  Speaker 8: That baby you'll get a fat lot of good out
• 1:24:37
  Speaker 8: of them?
• 1:24:38
  Speaker 3: Is the baby ill? Mary?
• 1:24:39
  Speaker 7: I'll keep fancying he's not so well. His father's gone
• 1:24:43
  Speaker 7: for the doctor.
• 1:24:44
  Speaker 3: Have you seen him, Missus Broom?
• 1:24:46
  Speaker 9: Not yet? Will you take me, Mary? We must be
• 1:24:50
  Speaker 9: going directly.
• 1:24:51
  Speaker 1: Come on then, looking at the others.
• 1:24:53
  Speaker 8: Would you like not me?
• 1:24:56
  Speaker 3: Yes, I'd like to see him.
• 1:24:58
  Speaker 8: I thought perhaps you'd just like a word with me, ma'am.
• 1:25:01
  Speaker 3: Oh, well, presently, Mary, I'll just talk to mister Broom.
• 1:25:06
  Speaker 1: Mary and missus Broom go out.
• 1:25:09
  Speaker 3: Well, mister Broom, And what have you got to say?
• 1:25:11
  Speaker 8: Well? Have I got to say?
• 1:25:13
  Speaker 3: You look like a man who has something to say.
• 1:25:16
  Speaker 8: I've a good deal to say. If it's any good
• 1:25:18
  Speaker 8: saying it? What's it all mean?
• 1:25:21
  Speaker 3: Yes, that's the point. Is it any good saying it?
• 1:25:26
  Speaker 3: That's just what I feel more and more, mister Broom.
• 1:25:29
  Speaker 3: I used to want to say things, and now I
• 1:25:31
  Speaker 3: say to myself, is it any good? I believe we
• 1:25:35
  Speaker 3: think very much alike about it.
• 1:25:37
  Speaker 8: But a man has his feelings, and so he's got
• 1:25:40
  Speaker 8: something to say.
• 1:25:41
  Speaker 3: That's exactly what I think, mister Broom. I want to
• 1:25:44
  Speaker 3: talk to relieve my feelings. Not that I think it
• 1:25:47
  Speaker 3: will do any good, least said soonest mended. I suppose
• 1:25:51
  Speaker 3: I agree with you.
• 1:25:53
  Speaker 8: I've no wish to make myself unpleasant.
• 1:25:56
  Speaker 3: Only I was sure you hadn't.
• 1:25:59
  Speaker 8: Only I want to know how your son hark.
• 1:26:03
  Speaker 3: Is that somebody coming in? I wonder if he's got
• 1:26:06
  Speaker 3: the doctor.
• 1:26:07
  Speaker 8: I'm not one as interferes where there's no call for it.
• 1:26:10
  Speaker 3: But anyone can see that, mister Broom.
• 1:26:13
  Speaker 8: But I mean to say.
• 1:26:15
  Speaker 3: What I'm saying is I believe it is the doctor.
• 1:26:19
  Speaker 8: I'm only a poor cabman. You're too clever for me.
• 1:26:23
  Speaker 3: Don't worry your daughter. Don't be always asking her to
• 1:26:26
  Speaker 3: explain things. Your wife sees that i'm her father.
• 1:26:31
  Speaker 8: I think there's something due to me.
• 1:26:33
  Speaker 3: That's where we parents make the mistake.
• 1:26:36
  Speaker 8: Well, I can see a bit, and I think the
• 1:26:38
  Speaker 8: young man has acted fair.
• 1:26:41
  Speaker 1: Leonard Enters.
• 1:26:42
  Speaker 4: Your wife's going, mister Broom, what's the doctor say? He's
• 1:26:46
  Speaker 4: just looking at the kid, nothing serious.
• 1:26:48
  Speaker 3: I think Mary's with him.
• 1:26:50
  Speaker 1: I suppose she goes out slowly.
• 1:26:53
  Speaker 8: Now, sir, I thought i'd just like to have a
• 1:26:55
  Speaker 8: word with you.
• 1:26:57
  Speaker 4: Very natural, very proper, mister Broom. I'm sure, but you know.
• 1:27:02
  Speaker 8: I'm only a cabman, but I have my feelin's I'm
• 1:27:06
  Speaker 8: a father, sir.
• 1:27:07
  Speaker 4: Yes, it's a curious sensation, isn't it.
• 1:27:10
  Speaker 8: Sir?
• 1:27:11
  Speaker 4: It's big, mister Broom, it's big. Undeniably what's big? There
• 1:27:16
  Speaker 4: is something in these primal relations. You know.
• 1:27:18
  Speaker 8: I dun'no what you're talking about.
• 1:27:21
  Speaker 4: I beg your pardon.
• 1:27:23
  Speaker 8: It seems you're my son in law.
• 1:27:25
  Speaker 4: Yes, of course, very jolly, isn't it.
• 1:27:28
  Speaker 8: That doesn't mean as I'm going to take liberties. I've
• 1:27:32
  Speaker 8: had a talk with your mother and we come to
• 1:27:35
  Speaker 8: an agreement that least said soons mended. So don't look
• 1:27:39
  Speaker 8: for no prying from me nor my wife. There's a
• 1:27:42
  Speaker 8: thing or two I don't understand, but I do say this,
• 1:27:46
  Speaker 8: whatever mistakes you've made, you've come out at the finish
• 1:27:50
  Speaker 8: like a man.
• 1:27:51
  Speaker 4: It's very handsome of you to say so. I'm sure
• 1:27:54
  Speaker 4: Bert I.
• 1:27:55
  Speaker 8: Know a man when I see one, and there's my
• 1:27:57
  Speaker 8: hand on it.
• 1:27:59
  Speaker 1: He offers his head, and which Leonard takes rather hesitatingly.
• 1:28:03
  Speaker 8: You've done the fair thing, and I honor you for it.
• 1:28:06
  Speaker 4: It's very charming of you, I'm sure, and your commendation
• 1:28:11
  Speaker 4: is very very cheering.
• 1:28:13
  Speaker 8: But really I ask no questions, but I can see
• 1:28:17
  Speaker 8: a thing or two why, sir. It's as plain to
• 1:28:20
  Speaker 8: me as if i'd been told that your father's cut
• 1:28:23
  Speaker 8: up rough about this. You're quite right, he wouldn't have
• 1:28:27
  Speaker 8: you marry my girl. And like an honorable young fella
• 1:28:30
  Speaker 8: in love, in love mind you, you ups and you
• 1:28:35
  Speaker 8: says I'll marry her, so zal. It's as plain as mud.
• 1:28:39
  Speaker 4: It does look like that, doesn't it.
• 1:28:41
  Speaker 8: It's only the other day I was reading a bit
• 1:28:44
  Speaker 8: of a novel let in the paper, just to pass
• 1:28:47
  Speaker 8: the time, and there was a young fellow who did
• 1:28:49
  Speaker 8: just like that. And the father says, it's a cut
• 1:28:52
  Speaker 8: off of a shilling. I said, there's a bit of
• 1:28:54
  Speaker 8: human nature there, but I didn't expect to see it
• 1:28:57
  Speaker 8: in my own family. So soon you a reader, mister,
• 1:29:01
  Speaker 8: I've read a fairish bit. Sitting in my cab, sir,
• 1:29:05
  Speaker 8: let me tell you the father in that there novelette
• 1:29:08
  Speaker 8: come round.
• 1:29:09
  Speaker 4: That's encreaging, mister brool.
• 1:29:11
  Speaker 8: Is that your mother coming give us your hand again.
• 1:29:15
  Speaker 1: He hastily takes Leonard's hand and poses as Missus Tymbrel,
• 1:29:20
  Speaker 1: Missus Broome and Mary enter. He speaks loudly for Missus
• 1:29:25
  Speaker 1: Timbrel's benefit.
• 1:29:26
  Speaker 8: I accept you, sir and my family, and I honor
• 1:29:29
  Speaker 8: you for your handsome conduct, and hoping the old gentleman
• 1:29:33
  Speaker 8: will soon come round. Though mind you, I ask no questions.
• 1:29:39
  Speaker 4: Very good of you.
• 1:29:40
  Speaker 1: We're going now farewells. Broom is hearty again with Leonard,
• 1:29:46
  Speaker 1: confidential with Missus Timbrel, and perfunctory with Mary. Missus Broome,
• 1:29:52
  Speaker 1: subdued and a little anxious, passes before Leonard and says.
• 1:29:57
  Speaker 9: You needn't be afraid that we shall come often.
• 1:30:00
  Speaker 4: Come as often as you like.
• 1:30:02
  Speaker 9: No, we'll give you your chance.
• 1:30:05
  Speaker 8: What are you talking about to Missus Timbrel? All right,
• 1:30:08
  Speaker 8: I'll explain how things are to her, ma'am. I'm glad
• 1:30:12
  Speaker 8: I come to day. I think I've cleared up things
• 1:30:15
  Speaker 8: a bit. Come along, old.
• 1:30:17
  Speaker 1: Lady Broom and missus Broom go.
• 1:30:20
  Speaker 4: You are like me, middy, you're your mother's child. You're
• 1:30:24
  Speaker 4: not a bit like your father.
• 1:30:26
  Speaker 3: What had you been telling him? Something about your father?
• 1:30:30
  Speaker 4: Not a word, he seemed to have got it from you,
• 1:30:33
  Speaker 4: and is the governor coming around?
• 1:30:35
  Speaker 3: Oh, peep will come round.
• 1:30:38
  Speaker 4: Bravo. That's better. We've been deucedly pitched.
• 1:30:42
  Speaker 3: You know, perhaps it'll do you good. I don't mean you, Mary,
• 1:30:47
  Speaker 3: who's that?
• 1:30:48
  Speaker 1: Missus? Greeves enters with a letter, which she gives to
• 1:30:51
  Speaker 1: Leonard and retires, opening the letter.
• 1:30:55
  Speaker 4: Hullo, this is from Contrane.
• 1:30:58
  Speaker 1: Aside to Mary, I brought you this. She gives her money.
• 1:31:03
  Speaker 7: I can't refuse it now.
• 1:31:05
  Speaker 1: She looks over at Leonard gravely.
• 1:31:07
  Speaker 7: He never asked about little Leonard.
• 1:31:09
  Speaker 4: I say, look here, Cotschaine wants me to go there,
• 1:31:13
  Speaker 4: just the thing, just what I want where he plays
• 1:31:17
  Speaker 4: down in Norfolk fishing. Of course the fishing's not much,
• 1:31:22
  Speaker 4: but he's got some rather good men there by Joe,
• 1:31:26
  Speaker 4: I see myself talking again. I'm really talking just the.
• 1:31:31
  Speaker 3: Thing, does he ask Mary?
• 1:31:33
  Speaker 4: Maybe? Well, no, but there is no nonsense of that
• 1:31:38
  Speaker 4: kind about Maybe.
• 1:31:39
  Speaker 7: I've got little Leonard glancing at her.
• 1:31:42
  Speaker 4: By the bye. What did the chap say about little Leonard?
• 1:31:46
  Speaker 7: He's coming in again? He wasn't very sure.
• 1:31:49
  Speaker 4: Then you may be sure there is nothing the matter.
• 1:31:52
  Speaker 4: Good things are looking better to his mother. Do you
• 1:31:56
  Speaker 4: think the governor would let me have twenty pounds? Is
• 1:31:59
  Speaker 4: he far enough round for that?
• 1:32:01
  Speaker 3: You'd soon have him back again if you tried.
• 1:32:04
  Speaker 4: It's awkward. I must get some things, and I have
• 1:32:07
  Speaker 4: no fishing rod. I must say I had lost it
• 1:32:10
  Speaker 4: on the way down. I must lose a bag if necessary,
• 1:32:14
  Speaker 4: and borrow rather thin though? Did Edgar leave his rod
• 1:32:18
  Speaker 4: at home? Could you manage ten pounds? What did you give? Mary?
• 1:32:22
  Speaker 3: Is there any hope for him? Mary?
• 1:32:24
  Speaker 12: What?
• 1:32:25
  Speaker 4: Oh? The baby? I keep forgetting about that, blessed baby.
• 1:32:31
  Speaker 4: But he's not ill. I'm sure he is not ill.
• 1:32:34
  Speaker 4: Look here, I must get away. I shall hate you,
• 1:32:38
  Speaker 4: Mary if you stop me. I want a change, as
• 1:32:42
  Speaker 4: the doctor say, I want to talk to these chaps.
• 1:32:46
  Speaker 4: There many you want to talk to. I must go.
• 1:32:49
  Speaker 4: I must go. I'm a flower turning to the light.
• 1:32:54
  Speaker 4: I'm a prisoner breaking from his dungeon. I am a
• 1:32:57
  Speaker 4: spirit wringing upwards. Don't stop me.
• 1:33:02
  Speaker 7: Why should I stop you? You want to be there.
• 1:33:04
  Speaker 7: I want to be here.
• 1:33:06
  Speaker 4: Ah. Yes, And if the child is ill, you've got
• 1:33:10
  Speaker 4: a beautiful time before you. A mother with a child
• 1:33:13
  Speaker 4: ill is lovely, lovely. I could come home to see it,
• 1:33:18
  Speaker 4: especially if those fellows get rather dull. Court Shenderson mention
• 1:33:23
  Speaker 4: a time. I wonder how long he will have me.
• 1:33:27
  Speaker 3: If any one could change you, Mary would, But you
• 1:33:30
  Speaker 3: don't change.
• 1:33:31
  Speaker 4: Don't change. I'm always changing. I'm a perfect kilidoscope.
• 1:33:37
  Speaker 3: Always a kaleidoscope.
• 1:33:39
  Speaker 1: Taking his mother by the shoulders.
• 1:33:41
  Speaker 4: You just go and get me some money. Will you
• 1:33:45
  Speaker 4: tell the old boy I am a new man, a
• 1:33:48
  Speaker 4: reformed character. Put in a good word for May tell
• 1:33:52
  Speaker 4: him she has done it. Then see if you can
• 1:33:55
  Speaker 4: get me fifty pounds out of him.
• 1:33:57
  Speaker 3: You'd kill the goose with the golden eggs before it, Denny, Mary,
• 1:34:01
  Speaker 3: we'd better let him go. Oh, yes, you must have
• 1:34:05
  Speaker 3: some money. What's the least you can manage with the least?
• 1:34:09
  Speaker 4: Well, I should say the least is the most I
• 1:34:12
  Speaker 4: can get.
• 1:34:13
  Speaker 1: Fingering her rings?
• 1:34:14
  Speaker 3: Have you started with porn shops yet?
• 1:34:17
  Speaker 4: Oh? Yes, I'm not afraid of porn shops.
• 1:34:21
  Speaker 3: I'm too old to begin.
• 1:34:23
  Speaker 1: She takes off a ring and gives it to him.
• 1:34:26
  Speaker 3: Take that.
• 1:34:27
  Speaker 7: No, No, he can't do that.
• 1:34:30
  Speaker 3: I think he can.
• 1:34:31
  Speaker 4: Of course I can. I thought you would understand. Maybe
• 1:34:35
  Speaker 4: a mother sacrifice for her son is one of the
• 1:34:38
  Speaker 4: most beautiful things. Just think what you would do for
• 1:34:42
  Speaker 4: a little Leonard.
• 1:34:43
  Speaker 7: Yes, if there's need, need, there is need.
• 1:34:47
  Speaker 4: But I wouldn't like to deprive her of the pleasure.
• 1:34:51
  Speaker 4: The pleasure. It's a sacred joy, isn't it. Mother?
• 1:34:56
  Speaker 3: You're a humbug.
• 1:34:57
  Speaker 4: I suppose I am, But I'm your son the same.
• 1:35:01
  Speaker 4: You can't be less than a mother Because I've got
• 1:35:04
  Speaker 4: a bit of humbug about me. I wonder if I
• 1:35:07
  Speaker 4: should do better to sell it out and out to
• 1:35:10
  Speaker 4: a dweller. You don't mind, mother.
• 1:35:13
  Speaker 3: You couldn't redeem it. You couldn't give it me back.
• 1:35:16
  Speaker 4: Do you want it back?
• 1:35:18
  Speaker 3: I thought it might be a sacred joy to give
• 1:35:20
  Speaker 3: it back to me.
• 1:35:21
  Speaker 4: Good, very good. You are a damn fine woman, you know,
• 1:35:27
  Speaker 4: isn't she Mary? I suppose a lot of mothers do
• 1:35:31
  Speaker 4: the kind of things that she does for their sons,
• 1:35:34
  Speaker 4: but she does them lightly. She can be witty over it.
• 1:35:38
  Speaker 3: Goodbye, Mary, I'll come again soon.
• 1:35:41
  Speaker 7: Goodbye missus.
• 1:35:43
  Speaker 1: Timbroough goes. Leonard, goes out with her for a moment,
• 1:35:47
  Speaker 1: and returns. He capers up to Mary, seizes her waist
• 1:35:51
  Speaker 1: and waltzes her round. She yields and laughs for a moment,
• 1:35:55
  Speaker 1: then stiffens and struggles hark there's little.
• 1:35:59
  Speaker 4: Leonard, bother little Leonard.
• 1:36:02
  Speaker 1: She breaks away and runs out. He does a posseu
• 1:36:05
  Speaker 1: as the curtain falls. End of Act three, Act four
• 1:36:21
  Speaker 1: of Mary Broome by Alan Munkhouse. This is a LibriVox recording.
• 1:36:27
  Speaker 1: All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more
• 1:36:31
  Speaker 1: information or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox dot org. Act
• 1:36:37
  Speaker 1: four two months later, the Timbrel's drawing room again afternoon.
• 1:36:45
  Speaker 1: Ada to her enters Sheila in outdoor things.
• 1:36:50
  Speaker 5: Hello, Sheila, all alone, mother somewhere abouts? Take your things off.
• 1:36:56
  Speaker 6: I don't think we'll stop. Ada, Well, le come home.
• 1:37:01
  Speaker 6: Have you heard from him?
• 1:37:02
  Speaker 5: He's coming? I think mother sent him three telegrams.
• 1:37:06
  Speaker 6: What good is it now? With a child dead and buried?
• 1:37:09
  Speaker 5: He's dreadful, isn't he.
• 1:37:10
  Speaker 6: I want to do something for that girl. I want
• 1:37:13
  Speaker 6: to be different to her. I'm frightened, Ada, I'm frightened
• 1:37:16
  Speaker 6: of having a child.
• 1:37:17
  Speaker 5: What she got to do with it?
• 1:37:19
  Speaker 6: You must have your conscience clear when you're going to
• 1:37:21
  Speaker 6: have a child.
• 1:37:23
  Speaker 5: I daresay only we've not been.
• 1:37:26
  Speaker 6: Very nice to her, now, have we?
• 1:37:28
  Speaker 1: Well?
• 1:37:28
  Speaker 6: How could we be?
• 1:37:30
  Speaker 8: Yes?
• 1:37:31
  Speaker 6: We couldn't be expected to receive her with open arms,
• 1:37:33
  Speaker 6: could we?
• 1:37:34
  Speaker 5: Of course not?
• 1:37:36
  Speaker 6: I suppose she is to blame.
• 1:37:38
  Speaker 5: Why, of course she is. She's not half as bad
• 1:37:41
  Speaker 5: as he is.
• 1:37:41
  Speaker 6: Though I don't understand things a bit. I don't know
• 1:37:44
  Speaker 6: right from wrong. Only I ought to have been more kind.
• 1:37:47
  Speaker 6: It's stupid, Ada, but I'm afraid it's bringing me bad luck.
• 1:37:51
  Speaker 5: What's made you so superstitious?
• 1:37:53
  Speaker 6: Perhaps you'll understand better some day. Well, I'm going to
• 1:37:56
  Speaker 6: ask her to tea.
• 1:37:58
  Speaker 5: Oh, that's all right.
• 1:37:59
  Speaker 6: Will you come too?
• 1:38:00
  Speaker 5: I don't mind.
• 1:38:01
  Speaker 6: Yes, I think Lenard wants whipping.
• 1:38:04
  Speaker 5: It was rather decent to Edgar to go to the funeral.
• 1:38:07
  Speaker 6: It was scoring against Lenard too.
• 1:38:09
  Speaker 5: Well, that's not very nice to your husband.
• 1:38:12
  Speaker 6: Oh, I wish you didn't keep saying things and thinking
• 1:38:14
  Speaker 6: things against him. He's my child's father. He's not only
• 1:38:18
  Speaker 6: my husband who's coming.
• 1:38:20
  Speaker 1: The maid chows in Mary, who stands near the door
• 1:38:23
  Speaker 1: for a moment. Sheila goes to her rapidly and kisses her.
• 1:38:28
  Speaker 1: Mary is a little startled and discomposed by this. To Ada,
• 1:38:33
  Speaker 1: is your mother in?
• 1:38:34
  Speaker 4: How do you do?
• 1:38:34
  Speaker 6: Mary?
• 1:38:35
  Speaker 1: They shake hands.
• 1:38:37
  Speaker 5: Yes, she's somewhere about sit down. Won't you h won't
• 1:38:40
  Speaker 5: you take your things off.
• 1:38:42
  Speaker 7: No, thank you, I can't stay long.
• 1:38:45
  Speaker 1: He is mother, I think missus timbrel enters. She and
• 1:38:49
  Speaker 1: Mary greet one another affectionately.
• 1:38:52
  Speaker 3: Has he come?
• 1:38:53
  Speaker 7: He hadn't when I left. He's coming. I got a telegram.
• 1:38:57
  Speaker 3: What time does he arrive? He should be there and
• 1:39:00
  Speaker 3: you were out. Well, perhaps it's a good idea, Mary.
• 1:39:04
  Speaker 3: You mustn't judge him by other people. He's queer and different.
• 1:39:09
  Speaker 7: What must I judge him by?
• 1:39:10
  Speaker 3: Well, I think you'd better not judge him at all.
• 1:39:14
  Speaker 7: No, it's too late for that. Now I've just come
• 1:39:17
  Speaker 7: to say goodbye, goodbye.
• 1:39:19
  Speaker 6: Where are you going?
• 1:39:21
  Speaker 1: Timbrel enters, Ah, Mary, They shake hands, glad to see you.
• 1:39:27
  Speaker 2: You've had a trying time. Where's Leonard home? Yet?
• 1:39:30
  Speaker 7: He's coming?
• 1:39:31
  Speaker 2: Yes, well, Sheila, how are you?
• 1:39:34
  Speaker 14: Yes?
• 1:39:35
  Speaker 2: I wanted to have a word with you, Mary. I've
• 1:39:37
  Speaker 2: heard from Leonard. I've had quite a long letter from him,
• 1:39:41
  Speaker 2: and a very proper letter. In the circumstances. Of course,
• 1:39:45
  Speaker 2: he did very wrong. He acknowledges that undoubtedly he ought
• 1:39:49
  Speaker 2: to have been there. He does make certain explanations and apologies.
• 1:39:54
  Speaker 2: He expresses himself to me in a suitable manner. Now, Mary,
• 1:39:58
  Speaker 2: I have been talking to missus Timbrel, and we wish
• 1:40:01
  Speaker 2: you to understand that we are pleased with you. We
• 1:40:04
  Speaker 2: think that as far as you can, according to your lights,
• 1:40:08
  Speaker 2: you have made him a good wife. You've had rather
• 1:40:11
  Speaker 2: a hard time. Well, I thought it right that there
• 1:40:15
  Speaker 2: should be what I may call an ordeal, a period
• 1:40:18
  Speaker 2: of ordeal. I hope we may consider that over and
• 1:40:21
  Speaker 2: that things may be made a little easier for you.
• 1:40:24
  Speaker 2: I think, after the letter I have received from letter
• 1:40:26
  Speaker 2: that I may say, I think I may.
• 1:40:29
  Speaker 7: Say he's very good at writing letters. Yes, yes, when
• 1:40:34
  Speaker 7: Leonard died, he wrote me a beautiful letter, a beautiful letter.
• 1:40:39
  Speaker 7: It was beautifully expressed.
• 1:40:41
  Speaker 6: He's a literary man.
• 1:40:43
  Speaker 2: Well, well that's all over.
• 1:40:46
  Speaker 3: Here's Leonard.
• 1:40:47
  Speaker 1: Leonard enters and looks around him. Then he walks up
• 1:40:51
  Speaker 1: to Mary and stands before her.
• 1:40:53
  Speaker 4: I've come to abyss myself, Mattie.
• 1:40:56
  Speaker 7: You've been a long time in coming.
• 1:40:58
  Speaker 4: You don't want a lot of apology, you know what
• 1:41:01
  Speaker 4: I am.
• 1:41:02
  Speaker 7: No, I don't want any apologies.
• 1:41:04
  Speaker 2: Now. I think you are wrong there, Mary. He ought
• 1:41:07
  Speaker 2: to make very ample apologies to you. Of course, he
• 1:41:11
  Speaker 2: has explained to me the exceptional circumstances of the delay
• 1:41:14
  Speaker 2: but still.
• 1:41:15
  Speaker 3: The circumstances of the delay. You begin to excuse him.
• 1:41:18
  Speaker 4: Now, Oh, I know have been a brute, and there
• 1:41:23
  Speaker 4: is an end of it.
• 1:41:25
  Speaker 7: Yes, there's an end of it.
• 1:41:27
  Speaker 2: Of course, Mary, we must all recognize that letter. It
• 1:41:30
  Speaker 2: is quite an eccentric person. I'm reluctant to suggest the
• 1:41:33
  Speaker 2: possibility of two or more moral standards, but allowance must
• 1:41:40
  Speaker 2: be made for exceptional temperament.
• 1:41:42
  Speaker 4: Very liberal, sir, very liberal and enlightened.
• 1:41:46
  Speaker 1: Turning to Mary again, there are.
• 1:41:48
  Speaker 4: Some things I hate, all that undertaking business, black clothes
• 1:41:53
  Speaker 4: and dark rooms and nodding plumes. Remember that they are
• 1:41:58
  Speaker 4: horrible to me.
• 1:41:59
  Speaker 7: There are things that I hate too.
• 1:42:02
  Speaker 4: If I could have come in time to see that
• 1:42:04
  Speaker 4: little lad, it would have been different. But I like
• 1:42:07
  Speaker 4: to think of him as alive and happy. I have
• 1:42:10
  Speaker 4: all sorts of charming memories of him.
• 1:42:13
  Speaker 7: Of him with you, Mary, Yes, you said so in
• 1:42:17
  Speaker 7: your letter.
• 1:42:18
  Speaker 4: I have thought about you a great deal.
• 1:42:20
  Speaker 7: I found it hard to believe that.
• 1:42:22
  Speaker 4: I'm a curious kind of brute. I'm rotten with egoism.
• 1:42:27
  Speaker 4: It startles me to come back to you and find
• 1:42:30
  Speaker 4: you so steady and calm. I had never forgotten what
• 1:42:33
  Speaker 4: you are like. I wish you'd denounce me and curse
• 1:42:36
  Speaker 4: me or something.
• 1:42:37
  Speaker 7: It's no use doing that now.
• 1:42:39
  Speaker 4: And how are we all getting on together? All a
• 1:42:42
  Speaker 4: happy family? I believe it's you that will unite as it.
• 1:42:46
  Speaker 2: Maybe I've got to talk with you about a few arrangements.
• 1:42:50
  Speaker 2: And I should like to say before you, Leonard, that
• 1:42:52
  Speaker 2: your mother and I have come to the conclusion that
• 1:42:55
  Speaker 2: you owe a great deal to your wife and that
• 1:42:58
  Speaker 2: her influence is a beneficent one. We are pleased, very
• 1:43:02
  Speaker 2: much pleased.
• 1:43:03
  Speaker 4: What is it you're thinking about? Mary? There is something
• 1:43:07
  Speaker 4: inscrutable in you. It seems to me that you are
• 1:43:11
  Speaker 4: just as uncomfortable as ever mother. Let's have a little
• 1:43:16
  Speaker 4: motherliness or something. I don't know how it is, but
• 1:43:20
  Speaker 4: I want cheering up. I came from the station most
• 1:43:24
  Speaker 4: pentinentially in a growler, an ancient four wheeler. It made
• 1:43:29
  Speaker 4: me think of your father, Mary. How is that good man?
• 1:43:34
  Speaker 4: Got a job? All right? By the bye? There is
• 1:43:38
  Speaker 4: an extraordinary upset at our place. I wanted to ask
• 1:43:42
  Speaker 4: you about that. A lot of ten trunks with cards
• 1:43:45
  Speaker 4: around them and things. Are we leaving? Are we going away?
• 1:43:50
  Speaker 7: I'm going away?
• 1:43:51
  Speaker 2: You are going away?
• 1:43:54
  Speaker 3: Mary.
• 1:43:55
  Speaker 7: I'm going to call for the boxes and things.
• 1:43:56
  Speaker 4: When I leave here, Mary, where are you going?
• 1:44:00
  Speaker 7: Looking steadily at him, to Canada alone?
• 1:44:04
  Speaker 1: No?
• 1:44:04
  Speaker 2: What what's that?
• 1:44:07
  Speaker 1: Still looking at Leonard?
• 1:44:08
  Speaker 7: I'm going with George Truffitt.
• 1:44:11
  Speaker 4: Don't do that, Meaty, don't do that.
• 1:44:13
  Speaker 2: What do you mean, George Trufitt?
• 1:44:16
  Speaker 4: You're leaving me to go with George Truffit? Yes? Can
• 1:44:20
  Speaker 4: you do that? Can you really do that?
• 1:44:23
  Speaker 3: Don't be hasty, Mary, think about this.
• 1:44:26
  Speaker 2: What you mean to say? Who is George Truthtt?
• 1:44:30
  Speaker 3: He was our milkman. He gave us notice a few
• 1:44:32
  Speaker 3: weeks ago that he was going out of the business.
• 1:44:35
  Speaker 4: In order to elope with Meye? Did he mention that?
• 1:44:38
  Speaker 2: Do you mean that you are leaving your husband and
• 1:44:41
  Speaker 2: going away with this person?
• 1:44:43
  Speaker 6: Yes?
• 1:44:44
  Speaker 2: I can't believe it. I can't understand it, Meade.
• 1:44:47
  Speaker 4: I would like to talk to you about this.
• 1:44:50
  Speaker 7: I'll hear what you have to say.
• 1:44:52
  Speaker 4: Not here, not now. I want you alone.
• 1:44:56
  Speaker 7: It's only reasons I want you can give those.
• 1:44:58
  Speaker 4: Here Mother to her.
• 1:45:01
  Speaker 3: You've startled me, Mary. It seems very dreadful.
• 1:45:04
  Speaker 7: I'm sorry, ma'am.
• 1:45:05
  Speaker 2: Confound you, sir? Are you going to let your wife
• 1:45:08
  Speaker 2: go like this?
• 1:45:09
  Speaker 1: He knows in his heart that Mary will not be shaken,
• 1:45:12
  Speaker 1: and his efforts to retain her seem perfunctory.
• 1:45:15
  Speaker 4: What do I do? What's the right thing? Must I
• 1:45:19
  Speaker 4: call Truffett or assassinate him? Is there such a person?
• 1:45:24
  Speaker 4: He sounds to me like a myth, or a symbol
• 1:45:26
  Speaker 4: or something. Mete, will you swear that there is a
• 1:45:30
  Speaker 4: George Truffett?
• 1:45:31
  Speaker 7: I'll swear that.
• 1:45:33
  Speaker 4: This is the strangest thing that has ever happened to me.
• 1:45:36
  Speaker 4: I thought it would surprise you, but Merie, you are
• 1:45:39
  Speaker 4: my wife.
• 1:45:40
  Speaker 7: Yes, that's what I don't like about it.
• 1:45:43
  Speaker 4: I did wrong to stay away from you. I acknowledge that,
• 1:45:48
  Speaker 4: I feel it. I am going to be good. I
• 1:45:51
  Speaker 4: will try. I'm going to be a good husband. I
• 1:45:54
  Speaker 4: don't want you to go. It was dreadful of me
• 1:45:57
  Speaker 4: to stay away when the little kiddy died. I'm not
• 1:46:01
  Speaker 4: like that. I'm not like the things I do.
• 1:46:04
  Speaker 7: After all, he wrote a beautiful letter.
• 1:46:07
  Speaker 4: She's taking to irony now.
• 1:46:09
  Speaker 1: She has approached Mary rather timidly and stands beside her.
• 1:46:13
  Speaker 6: Don't go, Mary, Oh, miss Sheila, I want you to stay.
• 1:46:18
  Speaker 6: I do, and I'm so sorry about everything.
• 1:46:21
  Speaker 7: Oh, I must thank you, thank you, I must to missus.
• 1:46:26
  Speaker 1: Timbrel won't you stop her?
• 1:46:28
  Speaker 3: I don't know how.
• 1:46:30
  Speaker 2: Perhaps I may have a few words with this young woman.
• 1:46:33
  Speaker 2: I think I'm entitled to a few words. Now. I
• 1:46:36
  Speaker 2: don't wish to be harsh with you. Far from it.
• 1:46:39
  Speaker 2: I had formed I was forming a high opinion of
• 1:46:42
  Speaker 2: your character, of some phases of it. I was prepared,
• 1:46:46
  Speaker 2: as I think I have said, to accept you to
• 1:46:49
  Speaker 2: have overlooked a deplorable incident, which I will say no
• 1:46:52
  Speaker 2: more about that. My son has been rather unfeeling. Perhaps
• 1:46:57
  Speaker 2: I don't defend him. He is anxious to make amend.
• 1:47:00
  Speaker 2: I must remind you that at a time when that
• 1:47:03
  Speaker 2: I insisted on him making reparation, it was an unusual course.
• 1:47:08
  Speaker 2: I conceived it to be my duty. Later I found
• 1:47:11
  Speaker 2: it necessary, in certain painful circumstances to impose what I
• 1:47:14
  Speaker 2: may call an ordeal. It is over. I am willing
• 1:47:17
  Speaker 2: to be lenient. I should propose if your husband remains
• 1:47:21
  Speaker 2: reasonably what shall I say, is steady, to make your
• 1:47:24
  Speaker 2: pecuniary position a much easier one. Now, my good girl,
• 1:47:29
  Speaker 2: I hope we shall have no more of this nonsense.
• 1:47:32
  Speaker 2: I can overlook a slip, an error due to an
• 1:47:35
  Speaker 2: error of youth, but not a deliberate infringement of Are
• 1:47:40
  Speaker 2: you listening to what I say?
• 1:47:42
  Speaker 7: I beg your pardon, sir. I was thinking it was
• 1:47:45
  Speaker 7: time I was off.
• 1:47:46
  Speaker 2: Oh this is abundinable.
• 1:47:48
  Speaker 7: It's noocause you're talking, sir. I've made up my mind.
• 1:47:51
  Speaker 2: And does he this person, this truth? It know the
• 1:47:55
  Speaker 2: whole of the extraordinary circumstances.
• 1:47:58
  Speaker 7: I've told him everything.
• 1:48:00
  Speaker 2: I'll see him.
• 1:48:01
  Speaker 7: You won't move, George truth fit.
• 1:48:03
  Speaker 4: I should like to see him. I don't mean to
• 1:48:06
  Speaker 4: talk and argue and all that, and I don't want
• 1:48:10
  Speaker 4: to break his head, but I should like to have
• 1:48:12
  Speaker 4: a look at him through a keyhole or something.
• 1:48:16
  Speaker 2: Manly talk.
• 1:48:17
  Speaker 4: Maybe do you like him better than me?
• 1:48:21
  Speaker 7: It's not the same thing.
• 1:48:23
  Speaker 4: It's deuced interesting if one weren't so close to it
• 1:48:27
  Speaker 4: as it is. I feel rather uncomfortable, unmanly. Yes, I
• 1:48:33
  Speaker 4: suppose so. I suppose things are easy for these manly people.
• 1:48:39
  Speaker 4: They just go to work with an axe. But how
• 1:48:42
  Speaker 4: do I know that she isn't right? Maybe I'm horribly uncomfortable.
• 1:48:48
  Speaker 4: I'm unhappy. I seem to be losing something, yes, really
• 1:48:53
  Speaker 4: losing something. Are you quite sure about George Truffett? Yes,
• 1:48:59
  Speaker 4: I'm sure him and yourself. Do you think you'll never
• 1:49:03
  Speaker 4: want to come back to me, you know.
• 1:49:07
  Speaker 2: To you or to fifty others?
• 1:49:09
  Speaker 3: No?
• 1:49:10
  Speaker 4: No, oh, he doesn't understand.
• 1:49:14
  Speaker 2: Understand. I understand that this is an abandoned woman. You
• 1:49:18
  Speaker 2: are well rid of her. I've been mistaken, Yes, I
• 1:49:22
  Speaker 2: made a mistake. She has been treated with some magniment day,
• 1:49:27
  Speaker 2: not by you. Let her go then to her life
• 1:49:30
  Speaker 2: of infamy for shame, silence.
• 1:49:33
  Speaker 7: It's no good my talking here, But I'd like you
• 1:49:36
  Speaker 7: to understand, ma'am.
• 1:49:37
  Speaker 3: I do understand.
• 1:49:39
  Speaker 4: Don't go, No, don't go.
• 1:49:43
  Speaker 7: I must go. I can't throw over George's truth fit.
• 1:49:46
  Speaker 4: You're throwing me over.
• 1:49:48
  Speaker 7: That doesn't matter. That's another thing.
• 1:49:51
  Speaker 4: Ho is it? Why?
• 1:49:53
  Speaker 7: It was all wrong from the beginning. I brought it
• 1:49:56
  Speaker 7: on myself. I'm sorry for my mother than anyone. She'd
• 1:50:00
  Speaker 7: told me there were men like you. I wouldn't have
• 1:50:02
  Speaker 7: gone if little Leonard had lived, not if I'd had
• 1:50:05
  Speaker 7: to leave him. But now, George truthit and I have
• 1:50:08
  Speaker 7: talked it over, and we think we see what's right.
• 1:50:10
  Speaker 7: It can't be right, but it's not so wrong as
• 1:50:12
  Speaker 7: other things.
• 1:50:13
  Speaker 4: Meybe, do you love George truffeit? Now?
• 1:50:17
  Speaker 7: That's what I've said to myself sometimes, and people talk
• 1:50:20
  Speaker 7: of love and stories are full of it. I can't
• 1:50:23
  Speaker 7: make out rightly what it is. Did you love me?
• 1:50:26
  Speaker 7: When first they talk about a mother loving well little Leonard?
• 1:50:31
  Speaker 7: Are they the same if that's love? I don't love George,
• 1:50:35
  Speaker 7: but I want to be sure of things. I want
• 1:50:37
  Speaker 7: things to last. I want to feel that I'm faithful
• 1:50:40
  Speaker 7: and true. It's strange for me to be running away
• 1:50:43
  Speaker 7: from my husband for that. I'm not one of the
• 1:50:45
  Speaker 7: kind that does it. It's funny that I'm leaving you
• 1:50:48
  Speaker 7: because I want to be a proper wife. Perhaps I'm
• 1:50:50
  Speaker 7: all wrong. It's hard for a girl like me, not
• 1:50:53
  Speaker 7: very clever, to make out things. It's all been very unusual.
• 1:50:58
  Speaker 7: I may be wrong, but I can't help it.
• 1:51:00
  Speaker 3: You are not wrong, Mary, This is madness.
• 1:51:04
  Speaker 2: Are you going to justify her now?
• 1:51:06
  Speaker 4: Huh? You don't understand this, sir. It's a little out
• 1:51:10
  Speaker 4: of your line.
• 1:51:11
  Speaker 2: I hope it is out of my line, sir, I
• 1:51:14
  Speaker 2: trust it is.
• 1:51:15
  Speaker 3: When are you going, Mary?
• 1:51:17
  Speaker 7: We sail to morrow?
• 1:51:18
  Speaker 4: I suppose the magnanimous thing would be for me to
• 1:51:22
  Speaker 4: see you off.
• 1:51:23
  Speaker 7: No, I'll say goodbye here to missus. Timbrel I'm sorry
• 1:51:27
  Speaker 7: to leave you, ma'am.
• 1:51:28
  Speaker 3: Good luck Mary.
• 1:51:29
  Speaker 7: There'll be no questions asked there. I shall leave it
• 1:51:32
  Speaker 7: all behind. I shall be ashamed here. I've felt so
• 1:51:36
  Speaker 7: all the time. Why missus Greeves thought I wasn't married,
• 1:51:40
  Speaker 7: and I never felt as if I was properly? Of
• 1:51:42
  Speaker 7: course it's wrong, but I can't be right now whatever
• 1:51:45
  Speaker 7: I do, it isn't as if i'd been straight all
• 1:51:47
  Speaker 7: the time. Somehow that does make me feel a bit
• 1:51:50
  Speaker 7: freer now if I'm wrong, it's the best I can do.
• 1:51:54
  Speaker 2: Do you mean to tell me that you're going to
• 1:51:56
  Speaker 2: submit to this?
• 1:51:57
  Speaker 4: I don't see that. A scrap with George Trufftward held much.
• 1:52:01
  Speaker 4: I've lost Mary, that's plain.
• 1:52:03
  Speaker 2: Well, Well, I've no more to say.
• 1:52:06
  Speaker 4: It has been an extraordinarily interesting episode, the most stimulating
• 1:52:11
  Speaker 4: thing that ever happened to me. I must thank you
• 1:52:14
  Speaker 4: for that, Mary.
• 1:52:15
  Speaker 1: Turning suddenly on Leonard.
• 1:52:17
  Speaker 3: Doesn't it hurt you? Can you get outside it like that?
• 1:52:21
  Speaker 4: Oh? Yes, it hurts me splendidly.
• 1:52:25
  Speaker 2: Your conduct is despicable, sir. The man who allows his
• 1:52:29
  Speaker 2: wife to leave him is not a man.
• 1:52:31
  Speaker 4: Oh, don't talk rubbish. Your wife left you long ago.
• 1:52:35
  Speaker 4: She never came to you. You've never had a wife.
• 1:52:39
  Speaker 2: I don't understand you. I don't want to understand you.
• 1:52:42
  Speaker 2: I pray that I may never understand you.
• 1:52:44
  Speaker 4: Of course you don't want to understand. That's just it.
• 1:52:49
  Speaker 4: I think sometimes that people like you are just as
• 1:52:52
  Speaker 4: intelligent as we are. But you're timid. You daren't let
• 1:52:56
  Speaker 4: your thoughts stray. You have secrets from yourselves. Well, mother,
• 1:53:01
  Speaker 4: I shall have to look to you now. Mayte is gone.
• 1:53:05
  Speaker 3: I can do nothing for you. You've ceased to be
• 1:53:07
  Speaker 3: a child.
• 1:53:09
  Speaker 4: To him, to my father, yes, not to you.
• 1:53:13
  Speaker 3: Yes, you know too much. You can only pretend to
• 1:53:17
  Speaker 3: be my child.
• 1:53:18
  Speaker 4: I am to be alone, then, Mayte, I shall be
• 1:53:21
  Speaker 4: quite alone.
• 1:53:23
  Speaker 7: I daresay you'll pick up somebody.
• 1:53:25
  Speaker 4: You've no sentiment at all.
• 1:53:27
  Speaker 7: I must go. Good bye, ma'am.
• 1:53:29
  Speaker 1: Mary and missus Timbril embrace. Mary moves towards the door.
• 1:53:35
  Speaker 1: The others, with the exception of Timbrel, follow her, mannered
• 1:53:40
  Speaker 1: slowly and wistfully. They go out, meeting Edgar, who stares
• 1:53:45
  Speaker 1: at them in some astonishment but without greeting, and advances
• 1:53:49
  Speaker 1: to his father.
• 1:53:51
  Speaker 14: What's this?
• 1:53:52
  Speaker 2: What's that?
• 1:53:53
  Speaker 14: So sort of family reconciliation?
• 1:53:56
  Speaker 2: Just the reverse.
• 1:53:58
  Speaker 14: They seem to be saying good bye to her.
• 1:54:00
  Speaker 2: She's gone, gone, take care. Sheila, doesn't go, Sheila, Perhaps
• 1:54:05
  Speaker 2: she's gone already. I've been listening to the ravings of
• 1:54:08
  Speaker 2: lunacy and they've affected my brain. I'm getting old. Do
• 1:54:13
  Speaker 2: you ever have any doubt about yourself? Edgar? Do you
• 1:54:15
  Speaker 2: ever think you're a fool?
• 1:54:17
  Speaker 12: No?
• 1:54:17
  Speaker 2: I don't become a fool, neither am I.
• 1:54:20
  Speaker 4: But but what is it?
• 1:54:22
  Speaker 14: What's been going on?
• 1:54:24
  Speaker 1: The curtain falls on the end of Act four, end
• 1:54:29
  Speaker 1: of Mary Broom by Alan Munkhouse