Latest / A School for Greybeards; or, The Mourning Bride / Country Mouse-Arthur Law

Transcript

Country Mouse-Arthur Law · A School for Greybeards; or, The Mourning Bride

• 0:00
  Speaker 1: Act one of a Country Mouse by Arthur Law. This
• 0:04
  Speaker 1: is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the
• 0:09
  Speaker 1: public domain. For more informational to volunteer, please visit LibriVox
• 0:14
  Speaker 1: dot org. Dramatis Persona, The Duke of Saint Kitts read by.
• 0:22
  Speaker 2: Alan Mattstone, Lord Robert Wickham read by Gregg Giardano.
• 0:32
  Speaker 3: John Bulby MP read by Todd The Honorable Archibald Vice
• 0:40
  Speaker 3: read by Kevin Brazil.
• 0:43
  Speaker 4: Jeffcott a Butler read by Wayne Cook.
• 0:47
  Speaker 5: Lady Sylvia Bowlby read by Mattea.
• 0:52
  Speaker 6: Violet Ainslie read by Jen Broda.
• 0:56
  Speaker 7: Angelo Mure read Betty j Burns.
• 1:01
  Speaker 8: Missus Cropper read by Wendy katz Hiller.
• 1:05
  Speaker 9: Servant read by Jim Hendrick.
• 1:09
  Speaker 1: Stage directions read by Michelle Eaton a Country Mouse Act
• 1:15
  Speaker 1: one time evening scene, drawing room in Lady Sylvia Bowlby's
• 1:22
  Speaker 1: house in Park Lane, Lady Sylvia and Violet Ainslide discovered.
• 1:27
  Speaker 1: Lady Sylvia is seated on vis Avi's seat up left center,
• 1:32
  Speaker 1: taking coffee cup from Jeff Cott, who stands right of
• 1:36
  Speaker 1: her with coffee service. Violet is seated on chair down
• 1:41
  Speaker 1: left with coffee cup in her hand, lighting cigarette, which
• 1:46
  Speaker 1: footman who stands left of her is handing her. Angela
• 1:51
  Speaker 1: Mure is heard playing a dreamy air on the piano
• 1:54
  Speaker 1: in the inner room.
• 1:56
  Speaker 5: I think you'll find those cigarettes rather good, new kind.
• 2:01
  Speaker 5: I fancy they are.
• 2:03
  Speaker 1: The footman hands cigarette to Lady Sylvia. She takes one
• 2:07
  Speaker 1: and lights it, violet, puffing out smoke.
• 2:12
  Speaker 6: Awfully nice and not too strong, do you haal Bob
• 2:17
  Speaker 6: is trying to teach me, but I don't get on
• 2:19
  Speaker 6: very fast. He says, it's well worth learning.
• 2:23
  Speaker 1: Lady Sylvia smoking.
• 2:26
  Speaker 5: Yes, they're not half bad, are they?
• 2:29
  Speaker 1: Exit footman right, followed by Jeff Cott A one.
• 2:34
  Speaker 6: Where did you get them?
• 2:36
  Speaker 5: He sent me the box this morning.
• 2:38
  Speaker 6: Your husband, no, one of the others the other? Which
• 2:46
  Speaker 6: is that Augie mister Weiss?
• 2:50
  Speaker 2: Yeah?
• 2:51
  Speaker 5: Oh? Is he still still? He always was? He always
• 2:57
  Speaker 5: is he always will.
• 3:01
  Speaker 6: How nice does your husband know?
• 3:04
  Speaker 5: I've not the least idea.
• 3:07
  Speaker 6: I suppose he would kick up a shine.
• 3:09
  Speaker 5: I hope he knows his place better than that. My
• 3:12
  Speaker 5: dear child, John Bolby of Bowlby, Hooper and co'sin Tire,
• 3:18
  Speaker 5: a man whose name is in guilt letters over the
• 3:21
  Speaker 5: half the public houses in England. You don't imagine for
• 3:25
  Speaker 5: one moment he would presume to question my right to
• 3:28
  Speaker 5: do as I please.
• 3:30
  Speaker 6: He takes marriage easily, He.
• 3:33
  Speaker 5: Takes it as he finds it.
• 3:35
  Speaker 6: But those kind of people. You'll forgive me, dear, won't you.
• 3:39
  Speaker 6: Those kind of people so often have old fashioned ideas
• 3:43
  Speaker 6: as to the sanctity of the marriage tie.
• 3:46
  Speaker 5: He may have the prejudices of his class. I daresay
• 3:50
  Speaker 5: I've no wish to deprive him of them, but he
• 3:52
  Speaker 5: can't expect them to affect me in any way.
• 3:56
  Speaker 1: The piano stops.
• 3:58
  Speaker 6: Well, I'm glad you're so happy married, and I'm curious
• 4:02
  Speaker 6: to see mister Bolby.
• 4:04
  Speaker 5: Haven't you met my husband? Never? Oh, he's here sometimes. Indeed,
• 4:09
  Speaker 5: I asked him to dine tonight, but he said he
• 4:11
  Speaker 5: would be detained in the house. They've got a debate
• 4:14
  Speaker 5: on beer connected with glucose or arsenic or something, and
• 4:19
  Speaker 5: I believe they expect him to speak.
• 4:21
  Speaker 6: Is he a great speaker?
• 4:24
  Speaker 5: Yes, in the House of Commons, not in mine. But
• 4:28
  Speaker 5: really he's a very good fellow, and I've nothing to
• 4:30
  Speaker 5: complain of. He doesn't care a bit how much money
• 4:33
  Speaker 5: I spent. I've never been out of debt since I
• 4:36
  Speaker 5: married him.
• 4:37
  Speaker 6: What a dear man. I was in Cairo, you know,
• 4:40
  Speaker 6: when you were married. Where did you pick him up?
• 4:43
  Speaker 5: In Monte Carlo, my father had lost a pot of
• 4:47
  Speaker 5: money at the tables. He was playing on a system
• 4:50
  Speaker 5: by which he was bound to win in the long run.
• 4:52
  Speaker 5: Unluckily he couldn't run long enough, and on this particular
• 4:57
  Speaker 5: night he was stony broke. John happened to be staying
• 5:00
  Speaker 5: at our hotel, and my father made himself very agreeable
• 5:04
  Speaker 5: and borrowed a few thousands from him, only to lose
• 5:07
  Speaker 5: them all the next day. John was, of course too
• 5:11
  Speaker 5: delighted to be of use to a duke, and never
• 5:13
  Speaker 5: expected to be repaid. But my dear old dad is
• 5:17
  Speaker 5: absurdly punctilious in these matters, so having no money, he
• 5:21
  Speaker 5: paid him in kind. In kind, Yes, he introduced him to.
• 5:27
  Speaker 6: Me, And now you are married and.
• 5:30
  Speaker 5: Settled unsettled darling of late, terribly unsettled.
• 5:36
  Speaker 6: Our friend Archie.
• 5:38
  Speaker 5: Yes, he started playing the role of the tame cat
• 5:42
  Speaker 5: on the hearth rug, and he wants me to run
• 5:44
  Speaker 5: away with him. My dear girl, of course I wouldn't
• 5:49
  Speaker 5: tell everyone, I suppose not, but I can trust you.
• 5:55
  Speaker 1: Violet rises crosses in front of Lady Sylvia and puts
• 6:00
  Speaker 1: coffee cup on table right center.
• 6:03
  Speaker 6: It won't do, Sylvia, It's not good enough.
• 6:07
  Speaker 5: I'd have married him long ago, but he had no money.
• 6:10
  Speaker 6: And what has he now.
• 6:13
  Speaker 1: Leaning over back of sofa right center?
• 6:17
  Speaker 5: Less than ever? Poor man?
• 6:19
  Speaker 6: Then how in the world.
• 6:21
  Speaker 5: My husband settled two hundred thousand on me? And I'm
• 6:25
  Speaker 5: incredibly informed that in these cases marriage settlements are not disturbed.
• 6:31
  Speaker 1: H coming down right end of sofa.
• 6:35
  Speaker 6: Mister Bolby is reputed to have something like fifty thousand
• 6:38
  Speaker 6: a year? Isn't he about that? And two hundred thousand means?
• 6:44
  Speaker 6: Let me see about eight thousand a year. That's rather
• 6:49
  Speaker 6: a drop, isn't it.
• 6:51
  Speaker 5: I believe in love in.
• 6:52
  Speaker 1: A cottage rises and puts coffee cup on table right center,
• 6:58
  Speaker 1: and a dinner of herbs sits on sofa, or.
• 7:03
  Speaker 6: No dinner at all, but tea and boiled eggs, my
• 7:07
  Speaker 6: sweet romantic friend. Believe me, when boiled eggs come in
• 7:11
  Speaker 6: at the door, love flies out at the window.
• 7:15
  Speaker 1: You're horribly mercenary Stun's left end of sofa.
• 7:21
  Speaker 5: It is simply this. Have I the right to destroy
• 7:24
  Speaker 5: Archie's life? Am I justified in letting him go about
• 7:28
  Speaker 5: the world with a haunted look in his eyes and
• 7:31
  Speaker 5: a breaking heart.
• 7:33
  Speaker 6: What about mister Balby's heart.
• 7:36
  Speaker 5: That could be easily riveted? I would see that my
• 7:39
  Speaker 5: father arranged with the Prime Minister to make him a baronet.
• 7:42
  Speaker 6: Look here, Sylvia, do you really mean this?
• 7:46
  Speaker 5: I don't know. I'm thinking, take.
• 7:50
  Speaker 6: My tip and go on thinking.
• 7:53
  Speaker 5: Ah, you don't know what love is.
• 7:56
  Speaker 1: Go slowly to left Santa.
• 7:58
  Speaker 6: Oh, don't die, don't I What do you suppose I
• 8:03
  Speaker 6: sent you that note for today asking you to call
• 8:06
  Speaker 6: me missus Ainslee before these people here.
• 8:09
  Speaker 1: Tonight, Lady Sylvia going to sofa right center.
• 8:14
  Speaker 5: Well, really, I didn't know, and I've no idea now.
• 8:20
  Speaker 6: Because I'm in love with Bob.
• 8:23
  Speaker 1: Lord Robert Wickham sits on sofa beside Violet.
• 8:28
  Speaker 5: Yes, what's that to do with it?
• 8:32
  Speaker 6: Everything? Don't you know that he's one of those men
• 8:35
  Speaker 6: who are never attracted by an unmarried woman, and you
• 8:39
  Speaker 6: have let him believe I'm married.
• 8:42
  Speaker 1: Precisely showing wedding ring on her finger.
• 8:47
  Speaker 6: Look, there is the magic circle which holds him fast.
• 8:51
  Speaker 6: It came about by accident. The first time I met him.
• 8:54
  Speaker 6: My father was with me and somehow or other Bomb
• 8:58
  Speaker 6: got it into his head that my venerable dad was
• 9:02
  Speaker 6: my husband. I thought it was rather fun and didn't
• 9:06
  Speaker 6: undeceive him then, with very little preamble, for he doesn't
• 9:11
  Speaker 6: lose time, he assured me he had an insuperable objection
• 9:15
  Speaker 6: to Spinster's. He spoke very nicely about it and said
• 9:19
  Speaker 6: there was no real catch in a straight flat course,
• 9:23
  Speaker 6: and that the only true sport was an obstacle race.
• 9:27
  Speaker 5: He's sure to find you out.
• 9:29
  Speaker 6: Not if I'm careful. Of course. He wanted to call
• 9:33
  Speaker 6: on me, but I said no, once for all, and
• 9:36
  Speaker 6: he thinks it's because I don't want him to meet
• 9:39
  Speaker 6: my husband.
• 9:40
  Speaker 1: The piano begins and you've.
• 9:43
  Speaker 5: Really lost your heart, every scrap of it.
• 9:47
  Speaker 6: Do you meet him constantly? He sends me such lovely letters.
• 9:53
  Speaker 5: Letters that's giving you a hold over him.
• 9:57
  Speaker 6: Oh, he never signs them and they're always Britain. You
• 10:01
  Speaker 6: won't catch Bob asleep.
• 10:03
  Speaker 5: I doubt if you'll catch him at all. To use
• 10:06
  Speaker 5: the berb anacular, Lord Bob is remarkably slim.
• 10:11
  Speaker 2: Quite so.
• 10:12
  Speaker 6: At the same time, I am not unproficient in gorilla
• 10:15
  Speaker 6: tactics myself.
• 10:17
  Speaker 5: Well, I wish you luck, dearest.
• 10:21
  Speaker 1: Thanks darling, Lady Sylvia listening.
• 10:25
  Speaker 5: How charmingly your cousin.
• 10:26
  Speaker 1: Plays, rises and goes slowly left. Violet lies back and
• 10:33
  Speaker 1: puts her feet upon sofa.
• 10:35
  Speaker 6: Doesn't she I'm awfully fond of Angela. She's so amusingly unsophisticated,
• 10:42
  Speaker 6: Such a dear little country mouse.
• 10:45
  Speaker 5: Is she staying with you long? No?
• 10:48
  Speaker 6: She goes home in a few days. She lives with
• 10:51
  Speaker 6: her aunt, you know, in a sweet little cottage near Dorkin,
• 10:55
  Speaker 6: all honeysuckle and roses and creepers and things.
• 11:00
  Speaker 5: How delightful I feel sometimes I could be quite happy
• 11:04
  Speaker 5: in leading a peaceful, idealic existence.
• 11:07
  Speaker 1: Sits on chair down left.
• 11:10
  Speaker 6: I know that feeling. It comes at the end of
• 11:13
  Speaker 6: the season and lasts about three weeks.
• 11:17
  Speaker 1: Murmur of voices outside.
• 11:20
  Speaker 6: Ah, here are the men. They've not hurried themselves, I
• 11:23
  Speaker 6: must say.
• 11:25
  Speaker 1: No, they've taken their time pointing at Violet's feet.
• 11:31
  Speaker 5: Rye, ry, dear.
• 11:33
  Speaker 1: The piano stops.
• 11:36
  Speaker 5: What you're showing a good deal of stocking.
• 11:40
  Speaker 6: Yes, but I'm not supposed to know it.
• 11:43
  Speaker 1: Enter the Duke of Saint Kitts, Mister Vies, and Lord
• 11:48
  Speaker 1: Robert Wickham, right. They are all laughing heartily.
• 11:52
  Speaker 10: Yes, and all this time. She was in the window
• 11:57
  Speaker 10: behind the curtains.
• 11:59
  Speaker 1: Ah laughs, and goes left center, up stage this upstage center.
• 12:07
  Speaker 11: No, no, she was.
• 12:11
  Speaker 10: They found one of her shoes there.
• 12:16
  Speaker 1: Lord Robert upstage right center laughs.
• 12:20
  Speaker 2: You are descended to the pinkin'.
• 12:25
  Speaker 5: Well, you all seem very merry.
• 12:28
  Speaker 6: What's the joke?
• 12:30
  Speaker 11: Oh nothing, only one of the Duke's stories.
• 12:34
  Speaker 6: Oh do let us hear it?
• 12:37
  Speaker 1: No, certainly not, rises Lord Robert, going to back of sofa,
• 12:43
  Speaker 1: right center.
• 12:44
  Speaker 2: I've been telling the Duke he are to write his reminiscences.
• 12:50
  Speaker 5: I hope he'll do. Nothing of the kind, goes up center.
• 12:56
  Speaker 6: I wish he would. I'm so fond of reading the
• 12:59
  Speaker 6: lives of men.
• 13:01
  Speaker 11: The book would sell like wildfire.
• 13:04
  Speaker 1: Joins Lady Sylvia up center.
• 13:07
  Speaker 10: If I could find a publisher.
• 13:10
  Speaker 11: Oh, you'd find a publisher, thoughts enough. The question is
• 13:13
  Speaker 11: whether the libraries would take it.
• 13:17
  Speaker 2: I tell you what, writing in French. French covers a
• 13:21
  Speaker 2: multitude of obstacles.
• 13:24
  Speaker 1: Comes to left end of sofa, right center.
• 13:28
  Speaker 10: That's a deuce.
• 13:30
  Speaker 1: Good notion sits on count up left Violet to the Duke.
• 13:36
  Speaker 6: Don't forget to send me a copy.
• 13:39
  Speaker 1: To Lord Robert, who is standing beside her, looking at
• 13:42
  Speaker 1: her feet on the couch.
• 13:45
  Speaker 6: Do you want to sit down?
• 13:47
  Speaker 9: Oh?
• 13:48
  Speaker 2: Pray, don't move.
• 13:50
  Speaker 6: I thought you were looking for a seat.
• 13:53
  Speaker 2: My eyes are where, my heart is at your feet.
• 13:58
  Speaker 1: Violet quickly put her feet down.
• 14:01
  Speaker 6: How very pretty they.
• 14:04
  Speaker 1: Are sits beside her?
• 14:08
  Speaker 2: Do you know I was half afraid your husband might
• 14:11
  Speaker 2: be here to night?
• 14:13
  Speaker 6: Oh no, I never bring my husband with me. Besides,
• 14:17
  Speaker 6: of course, to night I expected.
• 14:22
  Speaker 1: Me, Violet coolly?
• 14:25
  Speaker 6: Did I I forget?
• 14:28
  Speaker 11: No?
• 14:29
  Speaker 2: You don't you knew perfectly well I was coming. How
• 14:35
  Speaker 2: could I know you had my note? This morning?
• 14:40
  Speaker 6: I get so many notes?
• 14:43
  Speaker 2: Why you told me? No one wrote to you?
• 14:46
  Speaker 6: But I what a lot of stories I tell?
• 14:50
  Speaker 1: Don't I duke to lady Sylvia?
• 14:54
  Speaker 10: What's become of miss Muir?
• 14:58
  Speaker 1: The piano begins.
• 15:01
  Speaker 5: She's in the next room.
• 15:03
  Speaker 11: All alone. The poor child will think we are deserting her.
• 15:06
  Speaker 1: Going left, I'll go and no rises and stops.
• 15:13
  Speaker 10: Vis you stop and talk to Sylvia. You sat next
• 15:18
  Speaker 10: to Miss Muir at dinner. You've had your innings. Now
• 15:25
  Speaker 10: it's my turn.
• 15:28
  Speaker 1: Exit left, upper exit, Violet aside to Lord Robert.
• 15:34
  Speaker 6: I fancy our friend Archie is going to catch it.
• 15:38
  Speaker 1: Rises and goes upstage with Lord Robert. They stand by fireplace.
• 15:44
  Speaker 1: Lady Sylvia to Vs.
• 15:47
  Speaker 5: I thought we were never going to get a word
• 15:49
  Speaker 5: together tonight.
• 15:51
  Speaker 1: Vis looking after the Duke.
• 15:54
  Speaker 11: I hope he's not going to talk the usual rot
• 15:56
  Speaker 11: to her.
• 15:57
  Speaker 5: You stayed so long in the dining room.
• 16:00
  Speaker 11: One comfort is she won't understand.
• 16:02
  Speaker 1: Him, Lady Sylvia slightly annoyed.
• 16:07
  Speaker 5: Yes, well, never mind.
• 16:09
  Speaker 1: The piano stops suddenly in the middle of a bar.
• 16:13
  Speaker 11: She's so simple and childlike, so absolutely.
• 16:16
  Speaker 1: And artificial, Lady Sylvia sarcastically.
• 16:20
  Speaker 5: Quite refreshing, isn't it.
• 16:23
  Speaker 11: I never met such wonderful innocence upon my soul. She
• 16:28
  Speaker 11: frightens me.
• 16:30
  Speaker 5: I don't think you have any real grounds for alarm.
• 16:34
  Speaker 1: Viz, turning to her, I wonder what she thinks of us.
• 16:38
  Speaker 5: Perhaps she'll confide her impressions to my father. You may
• 16:42
  Speaker 5: trust him to draw her out. He's he's a wicked
• 16:48
  Speaker 5: old man. Quite so, we're a very wicked family. Ever
• 16:53
  Speaker 5: since we came over with the Conqueror, we've enjoyed the
• 16:56
  Speaker 5: distinction of being exceptionally bad. Pause, Archie, I've been almost
• 17:04
  Speaker 5: shall I say, dreading this evening? You mean I promised
• 17:10
  Speaker 5: I would give you my answer tonight.
• 17:12
  Speaker 1: These confused Yes.
• 17:16
  Speaker 5: Yes, it's an awful step for a woman to.
• 17:19
  Speaker 1: Take go slowly to write.
• 17:23
  Speaker 5: Yes follows her every harp and he cut a rag
• 17:28
  Speaker 5: will have its own particular starring headline. Yes, and the
• 17:33
  Speaker 5: sixpenny weeklies, we'll have us on toast.
• 17:36
  Speaker 1: Yes, Lord Robert and Violet sit on couch up left.
• 17:41
  Speaker 5: Then there's another thing.
• 17:44
  Speaker 1: Yes, lady Sylvia at sofa right center.
• 17:48
  Speaker 5: When poor dear Marion Stembridge left her husband, he revenged
• 17:52
  Speaker 5: himself in the most ungentlemanly manner by declining to sue
• 17:56
  Speaker 5: for a divorce in spite of her writing him a
• 17:58
  Speaker 5: charming letter ashure, worrying him she would not defend the case, beast.
• 18:04
  Speaker 11: Yes, do you think boldly might behave badly too?
• 18:08
  Speaker 1: I don't know sits on sofa right center.
• 18:13
  Speaker 11: I say, look here, you know sits.
• 18:16
  Speaker 1: Beside her on sofa.
• 18:18
  Speaker 11: I have no right to let you risk it.
• 18:21
  Speaker 5: But if I am willing, that doesn't excuse me to
• 18:25
  Speaker 5: allow you to run such a Oh it would be
• 18:28
  Speaker 5: infernally dishonorable. But my dear archie, I must think of
• 18:33
  Speaker 5: my honor. I had no idea you were so imaginative.
• 18:38
  Speaker 11: If I didn't care for you so much.
• 18:41
  Speaker 5: No, please don't quote these stupid old lines. I could
• 18:45
  Speaker 5: not love thee dear so much loved I not honor more.
• 18:49
  Speaker 5: When Tennyson wrote love, Lace Lovelace, well, whoever it was,
• 18:55
  Speaker 5: he didn't know what he was talking about. Archie. This,
• 19:00
  Speaker 5: this question is not for you to decide. It must rest.
• 19:04
  Speaker 1: With me and to the Duke and Angela. Muir left
• 19:08
  Speaker 1: upper entrance.
• 19:10
  Speaker 10: You've not seen it, Bless my soul, you don't say so.
• 19:17
  Speaker 10: Have you been to the Jollity Theater? No, oh, you
• 19:23
  Speaker 10: must go. It's a ripping play, The Flyaway Girl, Capital Music,
• 19:31
  Speaker 10: pretty Faces, and the best show of leg at my
• 19:36
  Speaker 10: Feet in London. Really, but perhaps you don't care for
• 19:42
  Speaker 10: the theaters.
• 19:44
  Speaker 7: I do very much.
• 19:47
  Speaker 6: But just see.
• 19:47
  Speaker 7: I live in the country.
• 19:49
  Speaker 1: Violet and Lord Robert rise.
• 19:52
  Speaker 10: And you bring the fragrance with you to the others.
• 19:58
  Speaker 10: Miss Muir is is so delightfully pastoral, so breezy and
• 20:05
  Speaker 10: grassy and buttoo cuppy.
• 20:10
  Speaker 7: But we are not out of the world, you know.
• 20:13
  Speaker 1: Sits on viz Avi's Center, Violet to Lord Robert.
• 20:19
  Speaker 6: Miss Muir lives in Surrey.
• 20:21
  Speaker 1: Sits in chair down left. Lord Robert comes down a
• 20:25
  Speaker 1: little right center.
• 20:27
  Speaker 7: And we are only a mile from Dorkin, which is
• 20:30
  Speaker 7: quite a nice town where they frequently have entertainments in
• 20:34
  Speaker 7: the town hall.
• 20:35
  Speaker 10: Is that so?
• 20:37
  Speaker 1: Oh?
• 20:38
  Speaker 2: Yes?
• 20:39
  Speaker 7: Last month we had a conjurer, and not long before
• 20:43
  Speaker 7: that a panorama of Jerusalem. And in our own little
• 20:48
  Speaker 7: village we're very gay. Sometimes there's the annual concert after
• 20:52
  Speaker 7: the harvest, Thanksgiving, and on Christmas Eve we have a
• 20:56
  Speaker 7: lecture from the vicar with a magical lantern.
• 21:00
  Speaker 5: How exciting it is.
• 21:04
  Speaker 7: Very We all sit in a dark room, you know,
• 21:07
  Speaker 7: and every now and then somebody screams. I don't know why, but.
• 21:12
  Speaker 6: They do hysteria.
• 21:14
  Speaker 1: I suppose pinging. I imagine Vise rises and goes center
• 21:21
  Speaker 1: as if to sit beside Angela, but is anticipated by
• 21:25
  Speaker 1: the Duke, who quickly crosses behind her and sits right
• 21:29
  Speaker 1: of her on vis Avis. Vise turns up stage annoyed,
• 21:34
  Speaker 1: and then comes down left and stands right a violet.
• 21:38
  Speaker 1: Lord Robert sits beside Lady Sylvia on sofa right center.
• 21:44
  Speaker 7: Next Tuesday we are to have the school children's Street,
• 21:47
  Speaker 7: when we shall run races and play.
• 21:49
  Speaker 10: Games, kiss the ring.
• 21:53
  Speaker 7: Oh do you know it.
• 21:55
  Speaker 10: I've not played it for some time.
• 21:59
  Speaker 7: I couldn't teach you the rules, No.
• 22:02
  Speaker 10: Could you? Will you musk meet down? Will you?
• 22:08
  Speaker 5: Oh?
• 22:09
  Speaker 7: We should be too pleased. I'm sure my aunt would
• 22:12
  Speaker 7: be delighted.
• 22:14
  Speaker 1: Duke Aside to Angela.
• 22:16
  Speaker 10: We'll talk of this again, Violet.
• 22:20
  Speaker 5: Did miss Mia say she was going home on Tuesday?
• 22:24
  Speaker 2: Yes?
• 22:25
  Speaker 6: Her time is rather short, so we are doing all
• 22:28
  Speaker 6: we can in the meantime.
• 22:30
  Speaker 7: We are going to the Zoological Gardens tomorrow, aren't we, Violet?
• 22:34
  Speaker 6: No, on Thursday, Dear, There's.
• 22:37
  Speaker 7: So much to see, and London is such a large place.
• 22:41
  Speaker 7: There seems to be no end to it.
• 22:44
  Speaker 10: There's only one the West End.
• 22:48
  Speaker 7: Really, but it's all so full of interest. I can't
• 22:53
  Speaker 7: fancy anything more delightful than to be able to spend
• 22:56
  Speaker 7: Wednesdays at Westminster Abbey and the Tower or the British Museum.
• 23:01
  Speaker 7: To the Duke, I suppose you often go to the
• 23:05
  Speaker 7: British Museum.
• 23:07
  Speaker 10: Frequently?
• 23:09
  Speaker 1: Aside to her, I'll.
• 23:12
  Speaker 10: Meet you there on Friday if you lie.
• 23:16
  Speaker 7: Oh, but are you sure it won't inconvenience you?
• 23:20
  Speaker 10: Not at all. I've nothing on If I had, i'd
• 23:26
  Speaker 10: put it off, Violet rising, Now.
• 23:31
  Speaker 6: Then Sylvia, what are we going to do anything?
• 23:35
  Speaker 5: You please?
• 23:36
  Speaker 1: Rises?
• 23:38
  Speaker 5: What would you like to do?
• 23:40
  Speaker 1: Lord Robert rises?
• 23:43
  Speaker 6: Suppose we play bridge?
• 23:46
  Speaker 2: That's the game?
• 23:48
  Speaker 1: Duke rises to Angela.
• 23:51
  Speaker 10: Do you play it?
• 23:54
  Speaker 5: No?
• 23:56
  Speaker 1: Rises Duke to the others.
• 23:59
  Speaker 10: She he doesn't know it.
• 24:02
  Speaker 7: But you mustn't mind me.
• 24:05
  Speaker 1: Turns up stage with vis who whispers to her yes.
• 24:09
  Speaker 1: Yes to the others, what do you say to Roulette?
• 24:15
  Speaker 10: Oh, Roulette, come along, missus Ainslie.
• 24:21
  Speaker 1: Goes upstage with Violet and off left upper exit, Lord
• 24:27
  Speaker 1: Robert crossing left with Lady Sylvia.
• 24:31
  Speaker 2: Oh is it in there?
• 24:34
  Speaker 5: Yes?
• 24:35
  Speaker 1: Goes up stage with Lord Robert. Angela secretly slips her
• 24:39
  Speaker 1: fan behind a cushion on the sofa. Right. Lord Robert
• 24:44
  Speaker 1: to Lady Sylvia.
• 24:46
  Speaker 2: I met your husband today.
• 24:49
  Speaker 5: Indeed I've not seen him for a long time.
• 24:52
  Speaker 2: How was he looking very fit? I thought?
• 24:57
  Speaker 1: Exit left, upper exit, Lady Sylvia, at top of steps.
• 25:04
  Speaker 5: Are you coming? Miss mure Vise looking about him?
• 25:08
  Speaker 1: Up center?
• 25:10
  Speaker 11: Miss muer has dropped a fan somewhere.
• 25:13
  Speaker 1: Angela right center, Please don't wait, Lady Sylvia looking about her.
• 25:20
  Speaker 1: Lady Sylvia looks at Angela and these and goes off
• 25:24
  Speaker 1: left up her exit. These going to Angela at last
• 25:31
  Speaker 1: down center.
• 25:33
  Speaker 7: Why did you ask me to pretend to lose my fan?
• 25:36
  Speaker 1: Takes fan from behind cushion.
• 25:39
  Speaker 11: You don't know.
• 25:41
  Speaker 7: I've been trying to guess, and can't you. I thought
• 25:46
  Speaker 7: you must have some good reason, but no, it quite
• 25:50
  Speaker 7: puzzles me.
• 25:52
  Speaker 11: I wanted an excuse for a sting behind with.
• 25:54
  Speaker 1: You, Angela as if puzzled.
• 25:59
  Speaker 7: Oh, oh, you wanted. Oh, I'm afraid you must think
• 26:06
  Speaker 7: me very dull and stupid. I'm a little slower taking
• 26:10
  Speaker 7: things in. But you see, I live in the country.
• 26:14
  Speaker 11: I never met any one like you before.
• 26:17
  Speaker 7: That's what the Duke said. He said I wasn't like
• 26:21
  Speaker 7: any one else, and that he would back me for
• 26:24
  Speaker 7: a monkey against the field. I don't know what he meant,
• 26:29
  Speaker 7: but I thought it was very nice of him.
• 26:32
  Speaker 1: Go slowly to sofa right center and sits these looks
• 26:36
  Speaker 1: towards left upper exit, and seeing the coast is clear,
• 26:40
  Speaker 1: goes to her.
• 26:42
  Speaker 7: But you want to play what do they call it? Roulette?
• 26:46
  Speaker 12: No?
• 26:46
  Speaker 1: I don't, Angela moving a little right to make room
• 26:50
  Speaker 1: for him on sofa.
• 26:52
  Speaker 7: You're sure I'm not keeping you these.
• 26:56
  Speaker 1: Sitting beside her? No, earnestly, I wish I had met
• 27:02
  Speaker 1: you before.
• 27:04
  Speaker 2: Thank you.
• 27:06
  Speaker 11: Are you engaged not just at present? What then you
• 27:11
  Speaker 11: have been?
• 27:12
  Speaker 2: Yes?
• 27:13
  Speaker 7: A good deal?
• 27:14
  Speaker 11: Oh I thought, I hoped.
• 27:18
  Speaker 7: I don't think I quite I asked you.
• 27:21
  Speaker 11: If you engaged to be married?
• 27:27
  Speaker 7: Oh good, gracious, No, I'm far too young to be married.
• 27:33
  Speaker 11: And far too good for anyone.
• 27:37
  Speaker 7: Can one be too good to marry?
• 27:39
  Speaker 11: You would be awfully good to marry.
• 27:43
  Speaker 7: But I think married people are always good. I'm sure
• 27:46
  Speaker 7: those I've met in London have been extremely good, particularly
• 27:49
  Speaker 7: the husbands who have all said they would do anything
• 27:52
  Speaker 7: for me.
• 27:54
  Speaker 11: Do you know what you are? A wild flower, a
• 27:58
  Speaker 11: little riverside forget me? Not that has strayed my mistake
• 28:01
  Speaker 11: into the stifling, torn atmosphere of a forcing.
• 28:04
  Speaker 7: House meaning London.
• 28:08
  Speaker 11: Yes, the men here, these men who say all kinds
• 28:11
  Speaker 11: of things to you and don't mean the half of them.
• 28:14
  Speaker 11: Take my advice and don't trust a single man.
• 28:16
  Speaker 1: You meet, Angela, assuming astonishment.
• 28:21
  Speaker 7: That one no except you except me, of course. I
• 28:29
  Speaker 7: am quite sure you are very different from the others.
• 28:33
  Speaker 11: I hope. So you attracted me from the first when
• 28:37
  Speaker 11: I took you down to dinner. The touch of your
• 28:39
  Speaker 11: hand on my arm sent a thrill up to my shoulder.
• 28:43
  Speaker 11: Your subtle influence began to stir me with a soup.
• 28:47
  Speaker 11: When we reached the entree, I felt a distaste for
• 28:51
  Speaker 11: everything else, and I couldn't look at the sweets. It
• 28:54
  Speaker 11: would have been mockery with you beside.
• 28:56
  Speaker 1: Me, Angela, very shyly huh.
• 29:01
  Speaker 7: And I was enjoying my dinner all the time, little knowing.
• 29:07
  Speaker 11: But you know now, Angela, you have completely transformed me.
• 29:13
  Speaker 7: I'm very glad.
• 29:15
  Speaker 11: I feel a better man when I'm with you.
• 29:18
  Speaker 1: Leans back a little, Angela, dropping her eyes and moving
• 29:22
  Speaker 1: slightly nearer him.
• 29:25
  Speaker 7: Then you ought to be with me as much as possible,
• 29:31
  Speaker 7: oughtn't you?
• 29:32
  Speaker 11: That's what I was thinking? What what are your engagements?
• 29:37
  Speaker 7: Well? On Thursday, I'm going with Violet of the Zoological Gardens,
• 29:42
  Speaker 7: and and Friday, the Duke of Saint Kitts has promised
• 29:44
  Speaker 7: to take me to the British Museum.
• 29:47
  Speaker 1: No, no rises, you mustn't go, Angela, surprised why it
• 29:55
  Speaker 1: would be shocking the British Museum.
• 30:00
  Speaker 7: I thought it was quite a proper place.
• 30:03
  Speaker 11: It isn't the.
• 30:03
  Speaker 1: Place goes center. It's the Duke turns up center, Angela, wonderingly.
• 30:14
  Speaker 7: Oh, he seems very nice.
• 30:18
  Speaker 1: Yes, but he isn't comes down and leans over back
• 30:23
  Speaker 1: of sofa a little right of her.
• 30:25
  Speaker 11: You're so ingenuous, you don't understand these things.
• 30:30
  Speaker 7: Of course, I'm only a simple girl. I've had very
• 30:34
  Speaker 7: little experience. You see, I live in the country.
• 30:39
  Speaker 1: She looks up at him, and he bends his head
• 30:42
  Speaker 1: as if to kiss her, at which she drops her
• 30:44
  Speaker 1: eyes and withdraws slightly to left. Pause.
• 30:49
  Speaker 11: Yes, well, it's not the quest thing for a girl
• 30:52
  Speaker 11: to meet a man alone.
• 30:54
  Speaker 1: Really, No comes round right of sofa.
• 30:59
  Speaker 11: It's one of those things that society bars, so it's
• 31:03
  Speaker 11: never done openly. Well, now.
• 31:08
  Speaker 1: Sits right of her on sofa?
• 31:11
  Speaker 11: Have you anything on tomorrow? Do you ever ride in
• 31:14
  Speaker 11: the mornings?
• 31:15
  Speaker 7: I have nothing to ride.
• 31:17
  Speaker 11: Can you ride one of your cousin's horses.
• 31:20
  Speaker 7: I'm a little afraid of strange animals. Now, if I
• 31:24
  Speaker 7: only had my dear old donkey with.
• 31:26
  Speaker 11: Me, these amused good graces. You couldn't ride a donkey
• 31:32
  Speaker 11: in the park.
• 31:34
  Speaker 7: Couldn't I. He's perfectly quiet and wouldn't kick anyone. But
• 31:39
  Speaker 7: Violet and I very often play croquet in the mornings.
• 31:42
  Speaker 7: Do you play croquet? Yes, rather, I'm sure Violet would
• 31:47
  Speaker 7: be very pleased if you came over tomorrow, delighted. It's
• 31:53
  Speaker 7: really very good of you.
• 31:55
  Speaker 11: Good of me, it's awfully good of you. I'm so
• 31:59
  Speaker 11: sick of these women one meets every day with their
• 32:01
  Speaker 11: brainless chatter and their soulless faces. They bore me to
• 32:05
  Speaker 11: death with their inanity and rapidity. But you, Ah, there's
• 32:10
  Speaker 11: a restfulness and fragrance about you that make me feel
• 32:13
  Speaker 11: like a Sunday afternoon in a hayfield.
• 32:16
  Speaker 1: Lady Sylvia off stage, All.
• 32:19
  Speaker 5: Right, play for me. I won't be a minute.
• 32:23
  Speaker 1: Vis and Angela rise on hearing her voice, and VS
• 32:27
  Speaker 1: snatches Angela's fan from her and slips it behind cushion.
• 32:32
  Speaker 1: Angela goes up center. Vis quickly I say, what time tomorrow?
• 32:39
  Speaker 11: About twelve twenty seven Wrexham Gardens, isn't it?
• 32:44
  Speaker 7: Yes?
• 32:46
  Speaker 5: Er?
• 32:46
  Speaker 1: Lady Sylvia left upper entrance, Vis pulling cushion away and
• 32:51
  Speaker 1: disclosing fan.
• 32:53
  Speaker 11: By jove, here it is, I declare.
• 32:57
  Speaker 1: Holds up fan. Lady Sylvia with intention.
• 33:01
  Speaker 5: Oh you found the fan at laws.
• 33:05
  Speaker 11: Yes, behind the cushion.
• 33:07
  Speaker 1: Gives fan to Angela.
• 33:10
  Speaker 7: Oh thanks so much.
• 33:12
  Speaker 5: What a hunt you've had, haven't you?
• 33:16
  Speaker 11: Yes? I thought we would never find it, so did.
• 33:19
  Speaker 1: I vise aside? Damn turns up to fireplace, Lady Sylvia
• 33:28
  Speaker 1: down left.
• 33:29
  Speaker 5: Well, Roulette is in full swing and miss Mior is
• 33:33
  Speaker 5: losing all the fun.
• 33:35
  Speaker 1: And to John Bowlby right.
• 33:38
  Speaker 11: John Ah Bulby is the debate over.
• 33:43
  Speaker 3: Yes, how are you guys?
• 33:47
  Speaker 1: To Lady Sylvia.
• 33:50
  Speaker 3: Yes, it finished early and there was no other business
• 33:53
  Speaker 3: of importance, so I thought i'd come home for.
• 33:56
  Speaker 1: A change, Lady Sylvia to Angela. This is my husband
• 34:03
  Speaker 1: introducing them John. Miss Muir Vse comes down to Lady
• 34:10
  Speaker 1: Sylvia Bolby shaking hands.
• 34:14
  Speaker 3: How do you do, Miss Muir? Sorry, I couldn't accept
• 34:18
  Speaker 3: my wife's invitation to dinner tonight, but I'm so tied
• 34:22
  Speaker 3: to the house.
• 34:23
  Speaker 1: Angela sympathetically.
• 34:26
  Speaker 7: Oh haven't you been well?
• 34:29
  Speaker 1: Bolby smiling, I mean the house of Carmens. Angela smiling.
• 34:37
  Speaker 7: Oh, how very stupid I am.
• 34:41
  Speaker 1: Bolby and Angela go right and stand talking apart, Lady
• 34:46
  Speaker 1: Sylvia going up left with VS.
• 34:49
  Speaker 5: I've made up my mind, Archie. I've decided at last.
• 34:54
  Speaker 11: I was sure you would see it in the true lights.
• 34:57
  Speaker 5: I've treated you badly.
• 34:59
  Speaker 1: No, they stop at foot of steps.
• 35:04
  Speaker 5: But I feel I can't spoil your life.
• 35:07
  Speaker 11: You mustn't mind me.
• 35:09
  Speaker 5: And so and soda. You shall take me away.
• 35:13
  Speaker 1: These aghast But Sylvia, there is a little laugh from
• 35:18
  Speaker 1: Bowlby and Angela.
• 35:20
  Speaker 5: Sh don't say anything more now, I'll send you a
• 35:24
  Speaker 5: note tomorrow.
• 35:26
  Speaker 1: Goes quickly up steps and off left upper exit. These
• 35:31
  Speaker 1: stands looking after her, aghast, and then quickly follows her
• 35:35
  Speaker 1: off left upper exit.
• 35:38
  Speaker 3: I never forget her face, and I know yours perfectly.
• 35:43
  Speaker 7: I don't see how because I live in the country.
• 35:46
  Speaker 3: And that's where I've seen you. You live in Dorkin, don't.
• 35:50
  Speaker 1: You, Angela crossing left near Dorkin.
• 35:56
  Speaker 3: Well, I've met you in the town more than once.
• 36:00
  Speaker 3: I go down there every now and then because our
• 36:03
  Speaker 3: brewery is there. You must have seen the place Bulby
• 36:08
  Speaker 3: Hooper and Company.
• 36:10
  Speaker 7: Oh are you Bolby Hooper and Company?
• 36:15
  Speaker 3: Part of them?
• 36:17
  Speaker 7: Really?
• 36:18
  Speaker 5: Who? He?
• 36:18
  Speaker 7: Always have your beer? Aunt Sarah has a four and
• 36:21
  Speaker 7: a half gallon casquan every three months.
• 36:24
  Speaker 3: That's very good of her. I hope by a strict
• 36:27
  Speaker 3: attention to business to insure a continuance of her patronage.
• 36:32
  Speaker 3: They laugh, and how long have you known my wife?
• 36:35
  Speaker 3: Miss mure?
• 36:37
  Speaker 1: Angela sits in chair left.
• 36:40
  Speaker 7: I've not met her till this evening. I'm staying with
• 36:43
  Speaker 7: my cousin Violet Ainslie, And as she was coming to
• 36:47
  Speaker 7: dinner here to night, Lady Sylvia very kindly asked her
• 36:51
  Speaker 7: to bring me with her.
• 36:53
  Speaker 3: What other men are here besides mister Weiss, the.
• 36:56
  Speaker 7: Duke of Saint Kitts, and a Lord Robert Wicks.
• 37:01
  Speaker 3: He Lord Robert, the Lord Robert?
• 37:04
  Speaker 7: Oh? Is he a very famous man?
• 37:08
  Speaker 3: Well? Famous is not quite the word, but it's very
• 37:12
  Speaker 3: near it. I think, Miss Muore, you don't know very
• 37:16
  Speaker 3: much of London life, do you.
• 37:19
  Speaker 7: No, I'm very backward, but I'm gradually acquiring a good
• 37:24
  Speaker 7: deal of information.
• 37:26
  Speaker 4: Hmm.
• 37:27
  Speaker 3: It's a pity. I mean you'll forgive me, won't you.
• 37:31
  Speaker 3: But you impressed me as being different from other young ladies.
• 37:35
  Speaker 3: And although I've no right to advise you, will you
• 37:38
  Speaker 3: give me the privilege.
• 37:39
  Speaker 1: Of angela rising.
• 37:42
  Speaker 7: I'm so sorry, but I'm engaged Tomorrow, Thursday and Friday
• 37:46
  Speaker 7: bowlby Puzzled.
• 37:49
  Speaker 3: I beg your pardon. I meant to say that if
• 37:52
  Speaker 3: you'll take my advice, you'll be content with your life
• 37:56
  Speaker 3: in the country.
• 37:57
  Speaker 5: Huh.
• 37:58
  Speaker 7: I think it's tremendou good of you to take so
• 38:01
  Speaker 7: much interest in me.
• 38:03
  Speaker 3: It is because you make me feel.
• 38:05
  Speaker 7: A better man.
• 38:07
  Speaker 1: What turns away to conceal a smile?
• 38:11
  Speaker 7: Oh nothing, I interrupted you.
• 38:14
  Speaker 3: Sit some vis a vis You make me feel that
• 38:18
  Speaker 3: you are still unsophisticated, unspoiled. Of course, there are heaps
• 38:23
  Speaker 3: of nice people in London, but well, there are different sets,
• 38:29
  Speaker 3: and it would be a thousand pities if you were
• 38:31
  Speaker 3: to fall into the wrong one.
• 38:33
  Speaker 7: That's why Violet was so anxious for me to meet
• 38:35
  Speaker 7: Lady Sylvia. She said her set was better known than
• 38:39
  Speaker 7: any other in town, and that if you once got
• 38:42
  Speaker 7: into it, you never got out of it.
• 38:45
  Speaker 3: That is certainly true.
• 38:48
  Speaker 7: Then I'm sure I'm a very fortunate girl. I think
• 38:51
  Speaker 7: Lady Sylvia's perfectly charming, don't you, But of course she
• 38:55
  Speaker 7: do because you're her husband.
• 38:58
  Speaker 3: Yes, O, yes, goes right.
• 39:01
  Speaker 1: Angela rises enter Lady Sylvia vs. Violet. The Duke and
• 39:08
  Speaker 1: Lord Robert left upper entrance. Lady Sylvia and Violet are
• 39:13
  Speaker 1: wearing their opera cloaks, and Violet is carrying Angela's.
• 39:18
  Speaker 11: We shall be in a lot of time for the
• 39:19
  Speaker 11: last ballet. It isn't on until eleven.
• 39:22
  Speaker 5: We shall be there in ten minutes, Miss Mure, we
• 39:25
  Speaker 5: are all going to the Empire to see the new ballet.
• 39:28
  Speaker 5: You'd like to come, wouldn't you?
• 39:30
  Speaker 1: Goes upstage with VS.
• 39:33
  Speaker 6: I shall be delighted, I said you would, dear.
• 39:37
  Speaker 1: Aside to Duke, who is that duke looking at Bowlby?
• 39:44
  Speaker 10: That it's Tony Bolby.
• 39:48
  Speaker 1: Takes Angela's cloak from Violet, really Duke to Bowlby?
• 39:55
  Speaker 10: Oh, John back from the house. John couldn't keep a
• 39:59
  Speaker 10: word way any long day.
• 40:03
  Speaker 1: And to Jeff Cott the butler, right upper entrance.
• 40:07
  Speaker 4: The Hemsun's at the door.
• 40:09
  Speaker 1: My lady exit right upper exit.
• 40:13
  Speaker 5: Hanson's Yes, we couldn't wait for the carriage.
• 40:17
  Speaker 1: Vis comes down to Angela.
• 40:20
  Speaker 10: So we're going to and two.
• 40:24
  Speaker 1: Goes quickly to Angela Center to intercept Vis.
• 40:29
  Speaker 10: Miss Muir. I'll take care of Miss Muir.
• 40:33
  Speaker 1: Puts cloak round her shoulders as they go left together.
• 40:38
  Speaker 7: Oh, thank you so much.
• 40:41
  Speaker 1: Stands left with the Duke while he fastens her cloak
• 40:44
  Speaker 1: for her. VIS downright with Lady Sylvia.
• 40:49
  Speaker 11: I say you people, whoever gets their first must wait
• 40:53
  Speaker 11: in the four you or we shall miss each other.
• 40:55
  Speaker 1: Lady Sylvia.
• 40:56
  Speaker 5: Aside to VS, that wouldn't be at all about idea
• 41:01
  Speaker 5: to miss each other.
• 41:02
  Speaker 1: Exit with face door right, Lord Robert going right with Violet.
• 41:09
  Speaker 2: How do you do? Belby?
• 41:11
  Speaker 1: Good night Bowlby mechanically good night exitant, Lord Robert and
• 41:19
  Speaker 1: Violet door right, Angela going with her arm in the dukes.
• 41:25
  Speaker 7: By the bye. Are you fond of crooquet?
• 41:28
  Speaker 1: They stop center croquet?
• 41:32
  Speaker 10: Why? What about croquet?
• 41:36
  Speaker 2: Nothing?
• 41:37
  Speaker 7: Only Violet and I frequently play it in the morning's
• 41:39
  Speaker 7: around twelve o'clock.
• 41:41
  Speaker 1: Duke jumping at it?
• 41:44
  Speaker 10: Do you mind jove?
• 41:47
  Speaker 7: The Violet would be awfully pleased to see you are
• 41:50
  Speaker 7: addresses twenty seven Wrexham Gardens.
• 41:53
  Speaker 1: The duke chuckles as they go quickly to door right.
• 41:57
  Speaker 1: Duke stopping at door right, I.
• 42:01
  Speaker 10: Say, you're not afraid of a handsome are you not
• 42:05
  Speaker 10: in the least? If you are sit tight and cling
• 42:09
  Speaker 10: to me.
• 42:11
  Speaker 2: Thank you.
• 42:12
  Speaker 1: I will exit with Duke door right. Bolby goes slowly
• 42:17
  Speaker 1: to left and to Jeffcott door right.
• 42:22
  Speaker 4: Is there anything I can get you? Sir?
• 42:24
  Speaker 3: No, thanks, Jeffcott. I shall be going to bed soon.
• 42:29
  Speaker 1: Jeff Cott. After a pause, mister John Bowlby turns beg pardon.
• 42:37
  Speaker 3: Sir, mister John takes me back.
• 42:40
  Speaker 4: Jeff Coott it slips out some times.
• 42:42
  Speaker 3: Sir, naturally after how long is it?
• 42:47
  Speaker 4: Thirty two years? Sir?
• 42:49
  Speaker 2: Is it?
• 42:49
  Speaker 3: By jove?
• 42:51
  Speaker 4: Yes, sir, I lived seven and twenty with your father
• 42:54
  Speaker 4: and going on five with you. That's what I was
• 42:58
  Speaker 4: about to say. I'm not as young as I was, Sir.
• 43:02
  Speaker 4: I'm getting a bit old and my joints are beginning
• 43:05
  Speaker 4: to find me out.
• 43:07
  Speaker 3: Look here, Jacot, you're not going to give me notice.
• 43:11
  Speaker 4: I'm afraid I must, Sir.
• 43:14
  Speaker 3: I'm very sorry to hear it.
• 43:17
  Speaker 4: And I'm sorry to do it.
• 43:19
  Speaker 3: But your age is it only that?
• 43:23
  Speaker 4: It's partly that, sir. Well, you'll forgive me speaking plainly, sir.
• 43:29
  Speaker 1: Of course, go on, sits on chair left.
• 43:34
  Speaker 4: You see, mister John, I'm what you may called old
• 43:39
  Speaker 4: fashioned in a manner of speaking. I'm used to old
• 43:43
  Speaker 4: ways and you can't drop into new ones. And no
• 43:48
  Speaker 4: fault of yours, sir, of course, but your marriage has
• 43:52
  Speaker 4: altogether upset me.
• 43:55
  Speaker 1: Bowlby taking cigar case from pocket.
• 43:59
  Speaker 3: And so oh you want to give notice?
• 44:02
  Speaker 1: Yes, Sir goes to table right center for match box
• 44:07
  Speaker 1: bowlby to himself.
• 44:09
  Speaker 3: I wish I could, to Jeff Cott, I shall miss you,
• 44:14
  Speaker 3: I shall miss you terribly, you're one of my earliest
• 44:18
  Speaker 3: recollections upon my soul. You know you're one of the family,
• 44:24
  Speaker 3: and it will be like losing a relation.
• 44:26
  Speaker 1: Jeff Cott gives match box to Bowlby.
• 44:29
  Speaker 4: I shall feel the party too, sir.
• 44:32
  Speaker 1: Then why go strikes match and lights his cigar.
• 44:37
  Speaker 4: With our respect, mister John, I'm afraid for my reverences.
• 44:43
  Speaker 4: The house ain't what it was since her ladyship came.
• 44:47
  Speaker 4: You still say grace before meat, but we've dropped family
• 44:51
  Speaker 4: prayers and we play the piano and ping pong on sundays.
• 44:57
  Speaker 4: I've endeavored to live respectable all my life. With your permission, sir,
• 45:02
  Speaker 4: I should like to make a respectable end.
• 45:06
  Speaker 3: Don't you think you might put up with it a
• 45:08
  Speaker 3: little longer. I've got to put up with a good
• 45:11
  Speaker 3: deal altogether.
• 45:12
  Speaker 4: I know you have, sir.
• 45:15
  Speaker 3: Somehow, I don't see many of my old friends now,
• 45:19
  Speaker 3: and if you go, I shall hardly have a creature
• 45:22
  Speaker 3: to speak to. Come, Jeff coot a little longer, Try
• 45:27
  Speaker 3: a little longer, Jeff Cott's pause.
• 45:31
  Speaker 4: Very well, mister John, I will.
• 45:34
  Speaker 3: Ah, that's right.
• 45:36
  Speaker 1: Take cigar from case.
• 45:39
  Speaker 3: Take a cigar, Jeff could Oh, no, sir, excuse.
• 45:42
  Speaker 1: Me, nonsense man, giving him cigar.
• 45:48
  Speaker 3: Take it.
• 45:49
  Speaker 1: Jeff Cott takes cigar.
• 45:51
  Speaker 3: Why, Jeff Goot, it was you who caught me smoking
• 45:55
  Speaker 3: my first cigar?
• 45:56
  Speaker 12: Do you remember, like as if it was yesterday day
• 46:01
  Speaker 12: and you told my father I did, sir, and he
• 46:06
  Speaker 12: gave me a thrashing.
• 46:08
  Speaker 4: Ah, those were the happy days.
• 46:10
  Speaker 1: Sir Bolby reaches the chair behind him and places it
• 46:15
  Speaker 1: right of his own Bowlby, pointing to chair.
• 46:20
  Speaker 3: Sit down.
• 46:20
  Speaker 4: Jeff good, really, mister John, I sit down. You're very good, Sir.
• 46:28
  Speaker 1: Sits right to Bowlby.
• 46:29
  Speaker 3: I sharn't to go to bed for half an hour,
• 46:32
  Speaker 3: so we'll have a nice coated chat over old friends
• 46:35
  Speaker 3: and old times.
• 46:37
  Speaker 1: Taking up match box.
• 46:39
  Speaker 3: You want a light? Oh, I used the last match?
• 46:44
  Speaker 1: Jeff Cott about to rise, I'll go and no, here
• 46:49
  Speaker 1: you are, knocks off the ash of his cigar against
• 46:52
  Speaker 1: the heel of his boot and holds cigar towards Jeff Cott.
• 46:57
  Speaker 3: Dig a light from mine.
• 46:58
  Speaker 1: Jeff Cott lights his cigar at Bowlby's as the curtain
• 47:02
  Speaker 1: slowly falls Act drop, end of Act one, Act two
• 47:16
  Speaker 1: of A Country Mouse by Arthur Law. This is a
• 47:19
  Speaker 1: LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain.
• 47:25
  Speaker 1: For more information or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox dot org.
• 47:30
  Speaker 1: Act two time. The following morning, scene drawing room at
• 47:36
  Speaker 1: mister Ainsley's Wrexham Gardens, Kensington, Violet Ainslie discovered seated at
• 47:43
  Speaker 1: writing table left, looking over typewritten letter. Violet reading letter.
• 47:51
  Speaker 6: And so I feel I can't go to bed till
• 47:53
  Speaker 6: I have written you a line, Darling, for I am
• 47:56
  Speaker 6: wakeful tonight and the click of the typewriter has soothing
• 48:00
  Speaker 6: effect and will send me to sleep when I shall
• 48:03
  Speaker 6: dream of you and our future with its delightful uncertainty.
• 48:09
  Speaker 6: Did I tell you I had a horrible nightmare the
• 48:11
  Speaker 6: other night? I dreamt your husband was dead and that
• 48:14
  Speaker 6: you were what the world calls free. Ah, dearest, that
• 48:19
  Speaker 6: is not the sort of freedom you and I desire,
• 48:21
  Speaker 6: is it?
• 48:22
  Speaker 2: No?
• 48:23
  Speaker 6: No, if you were unhappily single, the blossom of our
• 48:28
  Speaker 6: love would indubitably perish, unless indeed I were to marry
• 48:33
  Speaker 6: some one else. But there I am becoming sentimental. So
• 48:38
  Speaker 6: one more whiskey and soda and then good night.
• 48:41
  Speaker 1: She folds letter.
• 48:43
  Speaker 6: Dear old Bob, what romantic ideas he has about marriage?
• 48:48
  Speaker 6: I wonder if I am the only recipient of these
• 48:52
  Speaker 6: fervid epistles. If that typewriting machine of his could speak
• 48:57
  Speaker 6: hum Yes, they're my to be a good deal of
• 49:01
  Speaker 6: amusement combined with considerable instruction in the love letters of
• 49:05
  Speaker 6: a typewriter.
• 49:06
  Speaker 1: Angela Mure appears on the balcony center from left. She
• 49:11
  Speaker 1: is carrying a croquet mallet.
• 49:14
  Speaker 7: Nobody put in an appearance yet no, not.
• 49:16
  Speaker 1: Yet, busies herself folding notes, addressing envelopes, et cetera. All
• 49:21
  Speaker 1: through the following dialogue. Angela coming downstage.
• 49:26
  Speaker 7: I wish they'd come. I'm tired of knocking the balls
• 49:30
  Speaker 7: about by myself, and I'm in great form this.
• 49:33
  Speaker 1: Morning, Violet smiling.
• 49:36
  Speaker 6: It strikes me you were in great form last night.
• 49:39
  Speaker 6: Last night you amused the Duke.
• 49:42
  Speaker 1: Awfully, Angela, wonderingly did I.
• 49:46
  Speaker 6: And mister Weiss too, fancy?
• 49:50
  Speaker 7: I'm sure they were wonderfully good natured. They both offered
• 49:54
  Speaker 7: to drive me home in a hansom, and they got
• 49:57
  Speaker 7: quite animated about it. Oh, they were, oh Mary, and
• 50:02
  Speaker 7: made such fun of each other. Mister Weiss said goat,
• 50:07
  Speaker 7: and the Duke said lamb. At least it sounded like lamb.
• 50:13
  Speaker 1: Violet smiling, you, dear pet, Well, mister Weiss.
• 50:18
  Speaker 6: One didn't he one? It was he who drove you home.
• 50:23
  Speaker 7: Yes, we had rather an eventful drive. The horse was
• 50:29
  Speaker 7: a little fresh, and mister Weiss said the cabman was too.
• 50:34
  Speaker 7: I was rather nervous at times, but he held me
• 50:37
  Speaker 7: quite firmly and said, if it came to the worst,
• 50:40
  Speaker 7: we would die in each other's arms.
• 50:43
  Speaker 6: How romantic. One last fond embrace.
• 50:47
  Speaker 1: No, that was on the doorstep goes a little to write,
• 50:53
  Speaker 1: what Angela turning?
• 50:55
  Speaker 7: It was quite accidental on my part. He said, oh,
• 51:00
  Speaker 7: look at the moon, and I looked up and he
• 51:05
  Speaker 7: kissed me Violet, laughing, Oh, oh, Angela, I told.
• 51:11
  Speaker 1: Him, dear going to Violet, I told him.
• 51:14
  Speaker 7: I only kissed my relations in the country, but he
• 51:18
  Speaker 7: said it was quite usual in London, where people were
• 51:20
  Speaker 7: more friendly.
• 51:21
  Speaker 6: You're a dear, sweet little goose. I wonder if you
• 51:25
  Speaker 6: are able to take care of yourself.
• 51:27
  Speaker 1: Angela going right.
• 51:29
  Speaker 7: There's no necessity while everyone looks after me as they do.
• 51:33
  Speaker 6: Do you know that you're making someone frightfully jealous?
• 51:36
  Speaker 7: Jealous?
• 51:37
  Speaker 1: Ports Mallet on couch right center.
• 51:41
  Speaker 6: Yes, oh Violet, are you?
• 51:44
  Speaker 7: Are you in love with mister Weiss?
• 51:47
  Speaker 1: Sits on couch right center, Violet laughing.
• 51:51
  Speaker 6: Oh dear, no, than whom do you mean? Sylvia?
• 51:56
  Speaker 7: Lady Sylvia. But she couldn't be jealous of me?
• 52:00
  Speaker 6: Why not?
• 52:01
  Speaker 7: Because she's married?
• 52:03
  Speaker 6: Yes, but not to mister Weiss.
• 52:06
  Speaker 1: Rises and goes up left center.
• 52:08
  Speaker 6: Mister Bolby is a very nice man, and I believe
• 52:12
  Speaker 6: an excellent brewer. But well it was not a love
• 52:16
  Speaker 6: match on her side.
• 52:18
  Speaker 1: Angela rising and going to her.
• 52:21
  Speaker 6: Then why did she marry him?
• 52:24
  Speaker 1: Sits in armchair left center. Angela sits on arm of
• 52:28
  Speaker 1: the chair.
• 52:29
  Speaker 6: The Duke owed mister Bolby money and induce Sylvia to
• 52:33
  Speaker 6: accept him as a settlement in full. You see, when
• 52:37
  Speaker 6: a parent is in difficulties, a daughter is very often
• 52:41
  Speaker 6: a valuable asset. There were the passing Hans for instant.
• 52:45
  Speaker 6: Poor Lord Charlie and his wife were in desperately low water.
• 52:50
  Speaker 6: So what did they do? They went carefully through the
• 52:52
  Speaker 6: commercial directory, made a selection of probable buyers, and disposed
• 52:57
  Speaker 6: of their five girls to such advantage that they are
• 53:01
  Speaker 6: now quite happy and comfortable.
• 53:04
  Speaker 7: This is all very new and strange. O.
• 53:07
  Speaker 6: People in our set have realized for some time that
• 53:10
  Speaker 6: daughters are exceedingly profitable, so much so that nowadays it's
• 53:15
  Speaker 6: becoming quite fashionable to have large families of girls.
• 53:20
  Speaker 7: Well, this certainly opens up a promising vista to us
• 53:23
  Speaker 7: poor things. The Duke was speaking to me last night
• 53:27
  Speaker 7: about my future rises. He is very much interested in
• 53:31
  Speaker 7: the future of young girls, and he asked me to
• 53:33
  Speaker 7: come to him whenever I was in doubt or difficulty.
• 53:36
  Speaker 1: Violet sarcastically.
• 53:38
  Speaker 6: That was very sweet of him, Yes.
• 53:41
  Speaker 7: Wasn't it?
• 53:42
  Speaker 1: Goes up center?
• 53:44
  Speaker 7: He said the employment of unmarried women was becoming a
• 53:47
  Speaker 7: very grave question, and he seriously thought we should have
• 53:51
  Speaker 7: to revert to the days of King Solomon.
• 53:54
  Speaker 1: Exit on balcony center to left.
• 53:57
  Speaker 6: Hmm, I'm beginning to entertain my dear young friend as
• 54:02
  Speaker 6: to the absolute genuineness of your beautiful simplicity.
• 54:06
  Speaker 1: And to manservant door right, followed by the Duke of
• 54:10
  Speaker 1: Saint KITT's.
• 54:11
  Speaker 9: Who's great?
• 54:12
  Speaker 1: The Duke of Saint KITT's exit. Violet rises and meets
• 54:16
  Speaker 1: the Duke's center.
• 54:17
  Speaker 10: Good morning, good morning, not late, am I?
• 54:23
  Speaker 1: Violet shaking hands?
• 54:26
  Speaker 6: No, you're in capital time. Mister Weiss hasn't arrived yet.
• 54:31
  Speaker 10: Vice is he coming?
• 54:34
  Speaker 6: Yes?
• 54:35
  Speaker 10: I can't stand that man. Why did you ask him?
• 54:42
  Speaker 6: I didn't it was my cousin, Angela.
• 54:46
  Speaker 1: He utters an ejaculation of disgust.
• 54:49
  Speaker 6: You see, you do want two couples for a proper game,
• 54:53
  Speaker 6: don't you? And I fancy she thought mister Weiss would
• 54:57
  Speaker 6: be useful to pair off with me.
• 54:59
  Speaker 1: She goes to writing table left and stands while putting
• 55:03
  Speaker 1: letter in envelope. Duke taken in by her?
• 55:08
  Speaker 10: Ah, yes, yes, I see quite so. Miss Muir is
• 55:15
  Speaker 10: such a sweet, ingenuous little thing. It would be a
• 55:20
  Speaker 10: thousand pities if she were to get into the wrong hands.
• 55:27
  Speaker 10: And with so many unscupulous men are bouts. I don't
• 55:33
  Speaker 10: want to run down my own sex. But look at Vice.
• 55:38
  Speaker 1: Violet with feigned apprehension going to him.
• 55:42
  Speaker 6: You don't mean that he is.
• 55:44
  Speaker 10: A bad lot, A very bad lot, Dear Dear, no principle,
• 55:54
  Speaker 10: no conscience where women are concerned. No, Oh, don't be afraid,
• 56:02
  Speaker 10: I won't in large now, dear little Angela, I must
• 56:10
  Speaker 10: call her Angela.
• 56:12
  Speaker 6: I'm sure she would like it.
• 56:14
  Speaker 1: Goes back to writing table.
• 56:17
  Speaker 10: She's just the kind of unsuspecting girl to be taken
• 56:22
  Speaker 10: in by a specious rascal like Vice.
• 56:26
  Speaker 6: I'm afraid she needs guiding.
• 56:28
  Speaker 10: She does begad.
• 56:31
  Speaker 6: What the poor child wants is the advice and counsel
• 56:34
  Speaker 6: of some good, kind, motherly old soul who.
• 56:39
  Speaker 1: Goes to him. You must talk to her, Duke quickly.
• 56:43
  Speaker 6: What I mean, as we have not got a nice
• 56:47
  Speaker 6: old lady, we must do the best we can with you.
• 56:51
  Speaker 10: Oh yes, looking round room, I say, have any any
• 57:01
  Speaker 10: flowers come this morning?
• 57:03
  Speaker 1: Flowers goes back to writing tables, sits and addresses envelope.
• 57:08
  Speaker 10: Yes, I ordered some to be sent around from the florists.
• 57:14
  Speaker 6: That's very nice of you. No, they've not come yet.
• 57:18
  Speaker 10: I suppose she's fond of flowers she miss Mure.
• 57:24
  Speaker 6: Oh, oh, I thought you meant they were.
• 57:26
  Speaker 2: For me you?
• 57:29
  Speaker 10: Oh no, no, chuckles, certainly not.
• 57:36
  Speaker 1: Sits on couch right center.
• 57:38
  Speaker 10: I always play the game. I should never think her
• 57:43
  Speaker 10: approaching on Wacom's reserves.
• 57:47
  Speaker 1: Violet with pretended coldness rising.
• 57:50
  Speaker 6: Hadn't we better go and join Angela in the garden.
• 57:53
  Speaker 1: Goes up center. Duke rises only all means, but I say,
• 58:01
  Speaker 1: you and wakem Sylvia told me last night to call
• 58:07
  Speaker 1: you missus ainslie before him, and I guessed why.
• 58:14
  Speaker 10: Very clever, very smart?
• 58:17
  Speaker 4: Ha haa.
• 58:19
  Speaker 6: Can I trust you to say nothing? May I hope
• 58:22
  Speaker 6: you will continue to play.
• 58:24
  Speaker 1: The game to be sure they go upstage.
• 58:30
  Speaker 10: But I've seen for some time what was going on?
• 58:34
  Speaker 10: Oh I keep my eyes open, yes, and my ears too.
• 58:44
  Speaker 10: I heard him last night at the Empire.
• 58:48
  Speaker 6: What did you hear?
• 58:49
  Speaker 10: I and the others had just come out of the box,
• 58:54
  Speaker 10: and you and wakem were left behind for a minute
• 58:59
  Speaker 10: to put on my quite so chuckling, And then I
• 59:05
  Speaker 10: heard him, distinctly heard him, Duke chuckling. Oh, I know
• 59:14
  Speaker 10: that sounds sound.
• 59:17
  Speaker 1: Yes, Violet with great dignity.
• 59:20
  Speaker 6: You are entirely mistaken. He was striking a match.
• 59:25
  Speaker 1: Exit on balcony center to left, followed by the Duke
• 59:29
  Speaker 1: chuckling and shaking his head. Enter servant door right, showing
• 59:35
  Speaker 1: in vis. The servant is carrying a basket of very
• 59:39
  Speaker 1: beautiful flowers. Servant announcing vis. Mister vis seeing the room
• 59:46
  Speaker 1: is empty.
• 59:47
  Speaker 9: Oh, the ladies are in the gardens.
• 59:50
  Speaker 11: Huh are they alone?
• 59:52
  Speaker 1: Left? Center?
• 59:53
  Speaker 9: No, Sir, his grace, the Duke of Saint Kitts is
• 59:56
  Speaker 9: with them.
• 59:57
  Speaker 1: Puts basket of flowers on table, right and go up stage.
• 1:00:01
  Speaker 11: Has he been here long?
• 1:00:03
  Speaker 9: Only a few minutes.
• 1:00:04
  Speaker 1: Sir, point to flowers.
• 1:00:08
  Speaker 11: Bring those flowers with him?
• 1:00:10
  Speaker 9: No, sir, they have just come from the floorist therefore,
• 1:00:14
  Speaker 9: miss Murror.
• 1:00:14
  Speaker 1: Sir exit on balcony center to left vs. Going right.
• 1:00:21
  Speaker 11: Humph. If it isn't sink kIPS, so the Deuce can
• 1:00:24
  Speaker 11: have sent them to her. She doesn't know anyone, at
• 1:00:27
  Speaker 11: least hardly anyone.
• 1:00:29
  Speaker 1: Puts his hat on table.
• 1:00:31
  Speaker 10: Right.
• 1:00:32
  Speaker 11: Oh, here's a card.
• 1:00:33
  Speaker 1: Looks at card tied to handle of basket.
• 1:00:37
  Speaker 11: Damn it, it is the old beast. Now why the
• 1:00:40
  Speaker 11: devil didn't I think of sending some.
• 1:00:43
  Speaker 1: And to servants center?
• 1:00:45
  Speaker 9: Will you please step into the garden.
• 1:00:46
  Speaker 11: Sir Vis musing, eh, what, Yes, all right, I'll come directly.
• 1:00:55
  Speaker 4: You mean to it?
• 1:00:56
  Speaker 1: Yes, Sir goes to door right here.
• 1:01:00
  Speaker 11: One moment does miss me I know these flowers have come.
• 1:01:03
  Speaker 9: Oh dear me, sir, I quite forgot.
• 1:01:06
  Speaker 1: To turning to go back.
• 1:01:08
  Speaker 11: No, no, never mind, sir, don't trouble about it. I'll
• 1:01:13
  Speaker 11: tell her.
• 1:01:13
  Speaker 1: Oh, thank you, sir, exit door right, VS. Takes a
• 1:01:18
  Speaker 1: card from his card case, takes the dukes off the
• 1:01:21
  Speaker 1: basket and substitutes his own there, crumpling up the Duke's
• 1:01:26
  Speaker 1: card and putting it in his trouser pocket.
• 1:01:30
  Speaker 11: Exchange is no robbery and I'm sure mine looks very
• 1:01:33
  Speaker 11: much prettier.
• 1:01:34
  Speaker 1: Angela outside, No, no, I won't let you fetch it.
• 1:01:38
  Speaker 1: Vis quickly picks up Angela's mallet from couch and comes downright.
• 1:01:44
  Speaker 1: Duke outside very well.
• 1:01:46
  Speaker 10: Then will fetch it together.
• 1:01:50
  Speaker 1: Enter Angela and the Duke center from left.
• 1:01:54
  Speaker 7: But I'm giving you so much trouble.
• 1:01:57
  Speaker 1: Vis turning and handing croquet mallet to Angela.
• 1:02:01
  Speaker 11: Is this what you are looking for?
• 1:02:03
  Speaker 1: Right?
• 1:02:04
  Speaker 7: Oh, mister VISs, thank you, Yes, takes Mallett, Who've been
• 1:02:08
  Speaker 7: waiting for you to begin the game?
• 1:02:10
  Speaker 1: Right center?
• 1:02:12
  Speaker 10: Duke to Vis, You're to be Miss Ainsley's.
• 1:02:16
  Speaker 1: Partner, coming down left center.
• 1:02:20
  Speaker 10: She's far and away the best player, so we handicap
• 1:02:25
  Speaker 10: her by giving her you.
• 1:02:29
  Speaker 7: Angela to Duke, but I am sure you are a
• 1:02:32
  Speaker 7: capitol player yourself.
• 1:02:34
  Speaker 1: Duke pleased, Well, he.
• 1:02:37
  Speaker 11: Ought to be. He's had a lot of practice. Not lately, no,
• 1:02:43
  Speaker 11: I mean all those years before I was born.
• 1:02:45
  Speaker 1: Goes down right. The Duke glares at Vis.
• 1:02:50
  Speaker 7: Oh, oh, what lovely flowers?
• 1:02:53
  Speaker 1: Goes to table right.
• 1:02:55
  Speaker 10: Ah, who Marley intended for?
• 1:03:00
  Speaker 11: I wonder for Violet, I suppose or miss Mua the seven,
• 1:03:05
  Speaker 11: said Angela, looking at flowers.
• 1:03:07
  Speaker 1: For me, Duke chuckling to himself.
• 1:03:11
  Speaker 10: Sent by some admirer, I imagine that goes without saying.
• 1:03:17
  Speaker 7: But who who can it be?
• 1:03:19
  Speaker 1: Takes up basket.
• 1:03:21
  Speaker 10: Have you no idea?
• 1:03:24
  Speaker 1: Left center vice? Earnestly?
• 1:03:27
  Speaker 11: Can't you guess?
• 1:03:29
  Speaker 5: No?
• 1:03:30
  Speaker 1: I putting her nose to the flowers and coming down centa.
• 1:03:36
  Speaker 7: Oh, how delicious, how perfectly exquisite? Who could have sent them?
• 1:03:42
  Speaker 7: I wish I knew?
• 1:03:43
  Speaker 10: Isn't there a card somewhere? There's generally a card?
• 1:03:50
  Speaker 1: Angela seeing card?
• 1:03:52
  Speaker 7: Oh, of course, yes, here it is, and.
• 1:03:56
  Speaker 11: Whose is it?
• 1:03:57
  Speaker 1: Duke chuckling it him, goes left, show him the card,
• 1:04:06
  Speaker 1: turns upstage, rubbing his hands and chuckling. Angela to vis yours.
• 1:04:13
  Speaker 1: Oh how very good of you.
• 1:04:14
  Speaker 10: Duke turning not at all, not at all, Oh, but
• 1:04:21
  Speaker 10: it is then.
• 1:04:22
  Speaker 1: It was a happy thought, Angela smelling flowers.
• 1:04:26
  Speaker 7: It's really haughly sweet of you.
• 1:04:28
  Speaker 1: Goes up center, looks off to left and holds up basket. Violet, Violet, look,
• 1:04:35
  Speaker 1: dear Duke goes to vis right.
• 1:04:39
  Speaker 10: I heard her see last night she was fond of flowers.
• 1:04:44
  Speaker 10: And the first thing this morning, you see the early
• 1:04:48
  Speaker 10: bird vice. The early bird.
• 1:04:52
  Speaker 1: Sits on couch right center and laughs.
• 1:04:55
  Speaker 11: You seem very fit this morning.
• 1:04:57
  Speaker 1: Sits right of duke on couch right center.
• 1:05:01
  Speaker 10: I am never fitter.
• 1:05:04
  Speaker 1: Laughs immoderately. Angela going to table right with basket.
• 1:05:10
  Speaker 7: Hmm, I must put you in water soon, Oh, you darling.
• 1:05:15
  Speaker 1: The men jump up quickly, as if she meant them.
• 1:05:18
  Speaker 1: The Duke goes up center.
• 1:05:20
  Speaker 10: Duke aside a juiced lucky thought of mine by jove,
• 1:05:26
  Speaker 10: poor vice. Haha, poor Vice.
• 1:05:31
  Speaker 1: Exit center to left, chuckling to himself.
• 1:05:34
  Speaker 7: I wonder I didn't notice your card at first.
• 1:05:37
  Speaker 1: This going up to right a table.
• 1:05:40
  Speaker 11: I'm glad I thought of putting it there between ourselves
• 1:05:43
  Speaker 11: if it hadn't been for that. The Duke is quite
• 1:05:45
  Speaker 11: capable of pretending that he sent.
• 1:05:47
  Speaker 7: Them, Oh, but not really.
• 1:05:50
  Speaker 11: Ah, you don't know him. What is he doing here
• 1:05:53
  Speaker 11: now at this ungdely hour.
• 1:05:54
  Speaker 7: Wait, it's past twelve.
• 1:05:56
  Speaker 11: And he never gets up before too.
• 1:05:58
  Speaker 7: Then he must be very fun and of crooquade. It
• 1:06:00
  Speaker 7: comes so early today.
• 1:06:02
  Speaker 1: Puts a flower in his butttom hole.
• 1:06:04
  Speaker 11: Ah. Your wonderful simplicity and absolute ignorance of the world
• 1:06:08
  Speaker 11: are so beautiful that it makes me look back on
• 1:06:11
  Speaker 11: my past life with positive hatred.
• 1:06:13
  Speaker 7: Huh are you what they call a person with a past?
• 1:06:17
  Speaker 11: Why what do you know of a person with her nothing?
• 1:06:21
  Speaker 7: Only? I seem to have heard the phrase somewhere.
• 1:06:24
  Speaker 1: They go center.
• 1:06:26
  Speaker 11: If I had only known you five years ago, I
• 1:06:28
  Speaker 11: should have been another man.
• 1:06:29
  Speaker 7: But then I shouldn't have had the present satisfaction of
• 1:06:33
  Speaker 7: feeling that I am helping you.
• 1:06:34
  Speaker 1: Now goes to armchair left center.
• 1:06:37
  Speaker 10: Helping me.
• 1:06:38
  Speaker 11: Yes, to start afresh, to lead a new life.
• 1:06:42
  Speaker 7: Do you think you can manage it all by yourself?
• 1:06:45
  Speaker 1: Sits in armchair left center. These going to her.
• 1:06:49
  Speaker 11: No with someone beside me, since I've met you or
• 1:06:53
  Speaker 11: my old friends, that is tasteful to me. I see
• 1:06:56
  Speaker 11: the hollownists, the utter emptiness of the frivolless lives.
• 1:07:00
  Speaker 1: Angela rises, I.
• 1:07:02
  Speaker 7: May be frivolous, but I don't think I'm hollow. At
• 1:07:04
  Speaker 7: least I hope I'm not hollow.
• 1:07:07
  Speaker 1: Looks up at him, You.
• 1:07:09
  Speaker 11: My dear child, Mike putting his.
• 1:07:11
  Speaker 1: Arm round her and about to kiss her.
• 1:07:14
  Speaker 7: No, please, we are not in a hansom.
• 1:07:17
  Speaker 1: Now crosses right, He catches her hand to detain her.
• 1:07:22
  Speaker 1: Violet outside Angela, Angela, Angela disengaging herself. My cousin calling.
• 1:07:31
  Speaker 7: Yes, I'm coming, Violet, come in.
• 1:07:35
  Speaker 1: Goes right for her mallet.
• 1:07:37
  Speaker 11: Stop a minute? No, no, we mustn't wait one moment.
• 1:07:43
  Speaker 11: What are you going to do this afternoon?
• 1:07:45
  Speaker 7: Nothing?
• 1:07:46
  Speaker 11: Then suppose you let me give you some tea where?
• 1:07:49
  Speaker 11: There's rather a nice little tea shop in Bond Street.
• 1:07:51
  Speaker 11: It's number five zero five. You can't miss it. You'll
• 1:07:54
  Speaker 11: see the name over the window, the old cap and saucer.
• 1:07:57
  Speaker 11: It's really a new place. Shall we say? I have
• 1:08:01
  Speaker 11: passed four?
• 1:08:02
  Speaker 7: That will sue me perfectly. Have you asked many people?
• 1:08:06
  Speaker 11: No? No, not many?
• 1:08:09
  Speaker 7: How shall I come?
• 1:08:10
  Speaker 1: Vise takes his hat from table.
• 1:08:13
  Speaker 11: Right, drive down in a hansom and I'll meet you
• 1:08:15
  Speaker 11: at the door by the way. Your cousin, you know,
• 1:08:19
  Speaker 11: Violet or Center. Yes, there's no occasion to tell her
• 1:08:25
  Speaker 11: where you're going, isn't there? No? You see, she might
• 1:08:29
  Speaker 11: think I ought to have asked her too, and I
• 1:08:32
  Speaker 11: shouldn't like to hurt her feelings.
• 1:08:35
  Speaker 7: Oh no, nor I. It's very considerate of you, and
• 1:08:40
  Speaker 7: I won't say a word to her about it.
• 1:08:42
  Speaker 11: You see the thought of it, don't you?
• 1:08:44
  Speaker 5: Oh?
• 1:08:44
  Speaker 7: Quite? But I should never have thought of it myself.
• 1:08:48
  Speaker 7: I think I shall always be learning something when I'm
• 1:08:51
  Speaker 7: with you.
• 1:08:51
  Speaker 1: You, dear child, enter servant door right, Lord Robert Wickham
• 1:08:58
  Speaker 1: and to Wickham and exit servant. Wickham is restless and
• 1:09:03
  Speaker 1: absent in manner. Angelus surprised.
• 1:09:06
  Speaker 7: Oh, how do you do? Lord Robert?
• 1:09:09
  Speaker 2: Hello Bob, Good morning, Miss Murror Ah Vice.
• 1:09:15
  Speaker 7: My cousin is in the garden. We are going to
• 1:09:17
  Speaker 7: play croquet.
• 1:09:18
  Speaker 2: Will you tell her I'm here?
• 1:09:20
  Speaker 7: Won't you come in?
• 1:09:22
  Speaker 2: Thanks? No, if you wouldn't mind telling her?
• 1:09:26
  Speaker 1: Violet outside now, then.
• 1:09:28
  Speaker 6: You two do make haste.
• 1:09:30
  Speaker 7: Violet.
• 1:09:32
  Speaker 1: Violet exit center to left, followed by vis.
• 1:09:37
  Speaker 7: Lord Robert Wickham is here, will you come?
• 1:09:39
  Speaker 1: Dear Lord Robert goes quickly up left, puts hat and
• 1:09:44
  Speaker 1: stick on chair left at back, and comes down left,
• 1:09:48
  Speaker 1: pulling off his gloves and to Violet on balcony center.
• 1:09:52
  Speaker 1: She stands watching him for a moment, unobserved Bob, Lord
• 1:09:58
  Speaker 1: Robert seeing her.
• 1:10:00
  Speaker 2: Ah, what's the matter matter?
• 1:10:04
  Speaker 1: Cross is right? Violet comes down a little center.
• 1:10:08
  Speaker 6: You were walking up and down like a caged lion.
• 1:10:11
  Speaker 1: I feel like one Cross's left.
• 1:10:14
  Speaker 6: You promised me you wouldn't come to the house.
• 1:10:17
  Speaker 2: I can't help that.
• 1:10:19
  Speaker 1: Goes up left.
• 1:10:20
  Speaker 6: Fortunately, mister Ainsley is not at home today.
• 1:10:24
  Speaker 1: Lord Robert turns, well, what has happened? Lord Robert comes
• 1:10:29
  Speaker 1: down left center.
• 1:10:30
  Speaker 2: I've had an upset, a horrible, frightful upset in a
• 1:10:35
  Speaker 2: cab right center. No, in the club. I met a
• 1:10:41
  Speaker 2: man there just now, and we were talking, and well,
• 1:10:46
  Speaker 2: somehow or other, he happened to mention Ainslie.
• 1:10:50
  Speaker 1: And close to her.
• 1:10:53
  Speaker 2: What do you think, he said.
• 1:10:55
  Speaker 1: Violet, shaking her head.
• 1:10:57
  Speaker 6: I haven't a notion, Lord Robert.
• 1:11:00
  Speaker 2: Intently he said that your husband is a widower.
• 1:11:07
  Speaker 6: Is your friend an irishman?
• 1:11:09
  Speaker 1: Yes, goes up center. Violet sits on couch right center.
• 1:11:15
  Speaker 6: I thought, so, you see, while I'm alive, it would
• 1:11:19
  Speaker 6: be a little difficult for my husband to be a widower,
• 1:11:21
  Speaker 6: would in it?
• 1:11:22
  Speaker 1: Violet comes down to her.
• 1:11:26
  Speaker 2: Don't pray trifle with me. My love for you has
• 1:11:29
  Speaker 2: been the one great romance of my life. No other woman,
• 1:11:35
  Speaker 2: I mean married, of course, has ever attracted me as
• 1:11:40
  Speaker 2: you have. From the first moment I saw your husband,
• 1:11:45
  Speaker 2: I loved you for I perceived at a glance how
• 1:11:49
  Speaker 2: impossible it was that such an ordinary specimen of conventional
• 1:11:56
  Speaker 2: humanity could ever satisfy the heart hunger of a woman
• 1:12:01
  Speaker 2: like you, and now now, not half an hour ago,
• 1:12:09
  Speaker 2: I met with the terrible crushing intelligence that you are
• 1:12:14
  Speaker 2: not married. Oh Violet, Violet, you might have spared me.
• 1:12:20
  Speaker 1: This goes to CENTA.
• 1:12:22
  Speaker 6: Don't keep walking up and down like that.
• 1:12:25
  Speaker 1: Lord Robert goes up center.
• 1:12:28
  Speaker 2: You, you whom I thought so open, so candid, so
• 1:12:33
  Speaker 2: altogether above deceit.
• 1:12:36
  Speaker 6: Do stop for goodness sake.
• 1:12:38
  Speaker 1: Lord Robert comes down right center.
• 1:12:41
  Speaker 2: Your ring, your wedding ring, points to her ring. Was
• 1:12:46
  Speaker 2: that only a trick to make me believe that you
• 1:12:49
  Speaker 2: were free to love me?
• 1:12:51
  Speaker 1: Violet quickly turns round a ring on her finger to
• 1:12:55
  Speaker 1: look like a wedding ring. Lord Robert goes left and
• 1:12:59
  Speaker 1: drops into chairs at writing table.
• 1:13:01
  Speaker 2: The one woman in all the world for me and
• 1:13:05
  Speaker 2: not married.
• 1:13:07
  Speaker 1: Not married, rests his elbows on table with his face
• 1:13:12
  Speaker 1: in his hands, and you believe that, rises and goes
• 1:13:17
  Speaker 1: towards him. Lord Robert raising his head.
• 1:13:20
  Speaker 6: What can I believe anything? You hear so it.
• 1:13:24
  Speaker 1: Seems, turns up center.
• 1:13:27
  Speaker 2: He distinctly told me that Ainslie was a widower.
• 1:13:32
  Speaker 1: Violet turns sarcastically. Indeed, yes, Violet comes down right center and.
• 1:13:40
  Speaker 6: Has it never come within the range of your experience
• 1:13:43
  Speaker 6: that widowers occasionally marry again.
• 1:13:46
  Speaker 1: Lord Robert rises quickly. What goes to her? Violet with
• 1:13:52
  Speaker 1: assumed coldness.
• 1:13:54
  Speaker 6: I am not in the habit of practicing deception.
• 1:13:57
  Speaker 1: Crosses left, Lord Robert, believing her. Violet follows and keeps
• 1:14:03
  Speaker 1: pace with her. They both walk quickly.
• 1:14:07
  Speaker 6: You at least should have known me better.
• 1:14:09
  Speaker 1: Crosses right, Lord Robert. Repentant.
• 1:14:14
  Speaker 2: Violet.
• 1:14:15
  Speaker 6: I am surprised and wounded.
• 1:14:17
  Speaker 1: Crosses left but violent.
• 1:14:20
  Speaker 6: I am deeply hurt.
• 1:14:22
  Speaker 1: Lord Robert, crosses center.
• 1:14:25
  Speaker 2: No, no, Bob, Bob your own.
• 1:14:30
  Speaker 1: Bob, Violet, with great dignity.
• 1:14:33
  Speaker 6: After this, it is extremely uncertain if I shall ever
• 1:14:36
  Speaker 6: feel capable of bobbing you again.
• 1:14:39
  Speaker 2: Oh what a silly ass I've been.
• 1:14:42
  Speaker 6: I'm glad the truth has come home to you at last.
• 1:14:45
  Speaker 2: But look here, Violet.
• 1:14:47
  Speaker 1: Miss ains quickly correcting herself.
• 1:14:51
  Speaker 6: Missus Ainsley, if you please.
• 1:14:53
  Speaker 1: Sits on right of couch, right center.
• 1:14:57
  Speaker 2: I wish to heaven i'd kicked that man down the
• 1:15:00
  Speaker 2: club steps.
• 1:15:01
  Speaker 1: Goes to left end of count pleadingly.
• 1:15:04
  Speaker 2: Will you listen to me. I'm sorry, awfully, frightfully sorry.
• 1:15:11
  Speaker 2: It was the sudden shock of the thing you've heard
• 1:15:14
  Speaker 2: of a man being knocked silly by a blow. Well,
• 1:15:19
  Speaker 2: that's what happened to me. I was completely knocked out,
• 1:15:24
  Speaker 2: lost my senses for a time, and before I came
• 1:15:28
  Speaker 2: to myself, I came to you, and then I talked, well,
• 1:15:34
  Speaker 2: you know what, I talked A lot of rot. Yes,
• 1:15:38
  Speaker 2: I know it now, it was rot, every word of it.
• 1:15:43
  Speaker 2: But you'll forget it, yes, yes, forget all about it,
• 1:15:48
  Speaker 2: and will be just the same as we were before,
• 1:15:51
  Speaker 2: won't we, won't we?
• 1:15:54
  Speaker 6: I wonder if you are really to be trusted.
• 1:15:57
  Speaker 2: I haven't a doubt of it, truly, sorry, horribly.
• 1:16:02
  Speaker 6: Sorry, humbly repentant.
• 1:16:05
  Speaker 2: Grovelingly repentant.
• 1:16:08
  Speaker 6: And you'll be a good boy and never do it again, never,
• 1:16:12
  Speaker 6: Then I think I'll give you another trial.
• 1:16:14
  Speaker 1: Lord Robert, in his ordinary tone.
• 1:16:17
  Speaker 2: Thanks, I knew you would.
• 1:16:20
  Speaker 1: Sits beside her on couch, Violet laughing, you wretch.
• 1:16:26
  Speaker 2: You must admit it was a bit of a facer
• 1:16:29
  Speaker 2: to be suddenly told there was no husband in the.
• 1:16:32
  Speaker 6: Case, poor dear man.
• 1:16:34
  Speaker 2: Well you say your husband is not at home.
• 1:16:37
  Speaker 6: Eh, My husband is never at home, never at home.
• 1:16:42
  Speaker 2: And this is the man who expects to monopolize you,
• 1:16:45
  Speaker 2: This is the husband who.
• 1:16:47
  Speaker 6: Don't you think we might leave my husband alone for.
• 1:16:49
  Speaker 1: Once, rises and goes round right of couch and up
• 1:16:54
  Speaker 1: a little.
• 1:16:55
  Speaker 2: Oh, if we could only leave him alone for always?
• 1:16:59
  Speaker 2: Can't you see how dishonorable, how wrong it is to
• 1:17:03
  Speaker 2: stay with the man you don't love?
• 1:17:06
  Speaker 1: Violet as if considering the question.
• 1:17:09
  Speaker 6: When I can go away with a man I.
• 1:17:11
  Speaker 1: Do, lean's over back of couch.
• 1:17:14
  Speaker 2: Ah, what a dream it would be, What a perfectly
• 1:17:18
  Speaker 2: exquisite dream, You and I together, far away from everything
• 1:17:25
  Speaker 2: and everybody.
• 1:17:27
  Speaker 6: Living entirely for ourselves.
• 1:17:29
  Speaker 2: Completely wrapped up in each.
• 1:17:32
  Speaker 6: Other, thinking of no one else.
• 1:17:35
  Speaker 2: Letting the world go.
• 1:17:36
  Speaker 6: Hang, totally oblivious of other people.
• 1:17:40
  Speaker 2: Not caring a dump for a soul, absolutely unselfish.
• 1:17:46
  Speaker 1: Ah.
• 1:17:47
  Speaker 2: It's a glorious world if we only make the best
• 1:17:52
  Speaker 2: of it and think solely of our own happiness. If
• 1:17:57
  Speaker 2: people lived more for themselves, they wouldn't be so ready
• 1:18:01
  Speaker 2: to interfere in their neighbor's concerns.
• 1:18:05
  Speaker 6: What a charming mind you have. You look at everything
• 1:18:09
  Speaker 6: in such a beautiful light.
• 1:18:11
  Speaker 1: Lord Robert takes a hand which rests on back of couch.
• 1:18:15
  Speaker 2: I see everything in the light of your eyes.
• 1:18:20
  Speaker 1: Rises.
• 1:18:21
  Speaker 2: Ah, my dearest, my own.
• 1:18:25
  Speaker 1: About to embrace her violet drawing back. No, no, why
• 1:18:30
  Speaker 1: not violet glancing at windows?
• 1:18:33
  Speaker 5: Not?
• 1:18:34
  Speaker 1: Now goes up center? Well, look, here goes up left
• 1:18:39
  Speaker 1: for his hat and stick.
• 1:18:41
  Speaker 2: Come and have some tea this afternoon at the old place. No,
• 1:18:47
  Speaker 2: I forgot to tell you. I have discovered a new
• 1:18:49
  Speaker 2: tea shop in Bond Street. It's only just opened, and
• 1:18:54
  Speaker 2: they keep it dark.
• 1:18:55
  Speaker 6: Keep it dark.
• 1:18:56
  Speaker 1: Right center the room.
• 1:18:59
  Speaker 2: I mean, there's only a dim religious light. And I
• 1:19:03
  Speaker 2: spotted one particular corner where your dearest enemy couldn't recognize you.
• 1:19:10
  Speaker 2: Five O five is the number. By the way, Weiss
• 1:19:15
  Speaker 2: lives over the shop. He's got a flat above it.
• 1:19:19
  Speaker 1: Crosses right, supposing he saw us.
• 1:19:23
  Speaker 2: Men, never see one under these circumstances. You'll come.
• 1:19:27
  Speaker 6: You don't deserve it.
• 1:19:29
  Speaker 1: No, that's all right, goes to door right and stops.
• 1:19:34
  Speaker 2: Half past four if I come, Yes, quite so, of course.
• 1:19:40
  Speaker 2: Do you know? All the way home last night, I
• 1:19:44
  Speaker 2: thought of that embrace in the box, and when I
• 1:19:46
  Speaker 2: took off my overcoat, I kissed it on the shoulder. Why,
• 1:19:52
  Speaker 2: Lord Robert earnestly because there was a little white patch
• 1:19:56
  Speaker 2: there where your cheek had rested.
• 1:20:00
  Speaker 1: Did exit door right? The Duke and vs. Are heard
• 1:20:04
  Speaker 1: in altercation outside. Duke outside, No, no, oh, dear, no,
• 1:20:12
  Speaker 1: that was the game, nothing of the sort.
• 1:20:16
  Speaker 11: I say it was.
• 1:20:18
  Speaker 10: You can say what you like.
• 1:20:21
  Speaker 1: The Duke and Vise appear on balcony with their croquet mallets.
• 1:20:26
  Speaker 1: They are greatly excited.
• 1:20:28
  Speaker 11: You should have left my ball alone and gone for
• 1:20:30
  Speaker 11: your hoop.
• 1:20:31
  Speaker 1: They enter from balcony.
• 1:20:33
  Speaker 10: I say, it wasn't the game.
• 1:20:37
  Speaker 11: That's all you know about it.
• 1:20:39
  Speaker 10: I look here. You can't teach me croquet.
• 1:20:44
  Speaker 1: I know that Angela Mure appears on balcony.
• 1:20:48
  Speaker 10: I appeal to Miss Muir.
• 1:20:51
  Speaker 1: The three come down a few paces vis right center,
• 1:20:55
  Speaker 1: Angela center. The Duke left center is down.
• 1:21:00
  Speaker 10: Laugh now, Miss Mure.
• 1:21:03
  Speaker 1: Pointing with his mallet to the floor.
• 1:21:06
  Speaker 10: My ball was here, and his was here, and the
• 1:21:11
  Speaker 10: hoop was there, and I naturally.
• 1:21:17
  Speaker 1: Vise goes behind couch right center and leans against back
• 1:21:20
  Speaker 1: of it, with his back to the audience.
• 1:21:23
  Speaker 7: I'm afraid I wasn't looking at the moment.
• 1:21:26
  Speaker 1: Goes right and leans against back of couch right center
• 1:21:30
  Speaker 1: and right of Vise.
• 1:21:31
  Speaker 11: Of course, not one gets tired of watching a man
• 1:21:34
  Speaker 11: having over a simple stroke. For ten minutes.
• 1:21:37
  Speaker 1: Duke incensed.
• 1:21:40
  Speaker 10: Simple stroke to Violet, listen to him. I assure you
• 1:21:46
  Speaker 10: he missed three absolutely childish shots. Simple stroke. Why I'd
• 1:21:55
  Speaker 10: give him points any day, and please head off, simple stroke.
• 1:22:02
  Speaker 1: Aside to Violet.
• 1:22:04
  Speaker 10: I do consider that man is the most conceited jackass
• 1:22:10
  Speaker 10: I ever met.
• 1:22:12
  Speaker 1: Goes up left center with Violet. Vis aside to Angela.
• 1:22:17
  Speaker 11: Poor old saint kids, queer, old Chap, isn't.
• 1:22:20
  Speaker 7: He well, he's not quite my conception of a duke.
• 1:22:25
  Speaker 7: I mean, he's not like those in the family herald
• 1:22:28
  Speaker 7: and to.
• 1:22:28
  Speaker 1: Lord Robert door right. He goes center and then up
• 1:22:32
  Speaker 1: to vis.
• 1:22:34
  Speaker 2: I say, vice, old Chap, yes, shall you be at
• 1:22:37
  Speaker 2: home this afternoon about half past four?
• 1:22:41
  Speaker 11: Vis quickly no, no, I sha'n't I shall be out
• 1:22:45
  Speaker 11: all day?
• 1:22:46
  Speaker 2: Oh never mind?
• 1:22:48
  Speaker 1: Aside, that's all right, comes down left center and looks
• 1:22:52
  Speaker 1: at Violet to attract her attention. Vis aside to Angela.
• 1:22:58
  Speaker 11: I shall be very much better engaged an't I, But
• 1:23:01
  Speaker 11: you mustn't throw over other people from me.
• 1:23:04
  Speaker 1: Violet comes down left of Lord Robert. The duke goes
• 1:23:08
  Speaker 1: up to windows center.
• 1:23:10
  Speaker 11: I'd throw over the whole world for you.
• 1:23:12
  Speaker 7: You're the most unselfish person I've ever met.
• 1:23:16
  Speaker 1: Lord Robert aside to Violet.
• 1:23:18
  Speaker 2: I came back to ask Vice if he would be
• 1:23:21
  Speaker 2: in his rooms this afternoon. He says he'll be out
• 1:23:25
  Speaker 2: all day, so if the t shop should be very full?
• 1:23:31
  Speaker 6: Oh do you think I dare?
• 1:23:33
  Speaker 2: I think so?
• 1:23:35
  Speaker 10: Well? Are we going to play any more?
• 1:23:39
  Speaker 6: Or what?
• 1:23:41
  Speaker 10: Miss Muir? What do you say?
• 1:23:44
  Speaker 7: Delighted?
• 1:23:45
  Speaker 6: Come along?
• 1:23:46
  Speaker 1: Then goes up center. Lord Robert goes left and to servant.
• 1:23:51
  Speaker 9: Downright, Lady Sylvia borby.
• 1:23:55
  Speaker 1: And to lady Sylvia an exit servant, what Sylvia? Center?
• 1:24:01
  Speaker 5: And good morning?
• 1:24:02
  Speaker 1: Everyone looks at Vise and Angela. Then crosses to Violet
• 1:24:07
  Speaker 1: and shakes hands.
• 1:24:08
  Speaker 5: Quite an usome blange.
• 1:24:10
  Speaker 6: What is it croquet? Will you play?
• 1:24:14
  Speaker 5: No?
• 1:24:14
  Speaker 1: Then crosses left, well, come and look on, goes a
• 1:24:18
  Speaker 1: little up center. Angela comes down.
• 1:24:21
  Speaker 5: Right presently it's a little hot in the.
• 1:24:25
  Speaker 1: Sun, shakes hands with Lord Robert left.
• 1:24:28
  Speaker 5: Don't mind me, I'll follow you.
• 1:24:30
  Speaker 2: There's no hurry, no, no, go on.
• 1:24:32
  Speaker 5: With your game, or I shall think I'm in the way.
• 1:24:35
  Speaker 1: Lord Robert joins Violet up left center, Duke up center.
• 1:24:41
  Speaker 10: If Wycombe he's going to play, we shall be an
• 1:24:44
  Speaker 10: odd number.
• 1:24:46
  Speaker 5: Yes, well, Miss Mure will stay and talk to me.
• 1:24:49
  Speaker 5: I'm sure.
• 1:24:50
  Speaker 1: Oh yes, cross is left to Lady Sylvia and shakes hands.
• 1:24:55
  Speaker 1: Duke coming down center.
• 1:24:57
  Speaker 10: No, no, we can't. I don't spare miss Muir.
• 1:25:02
  Speaker 1: Lady Sylvia aside to Angela, I must speak to you.
• 1:25:06
  Speaker 1: Angela to the Duke.
• 1:25:08
  Speaker 7: I'd rather love me out this time. Really.
• 1:25:11
  Speaker 1: The Duke goes up center. Violet to the Duke.
• 1:25:16
  Speaker 6: You must put up with me as a partner.
• 1:25:18
  Speaker 10: Good. Good, we'll play the two men. We'll show them
• 1:25:25
  Speaker 10: walk away from them. Ha a poor vice ha ha.
• 1:25:33
  Speaker 1: Exit with Violet center to left, followed by Lord Robert.
• 1:25:38
  Speaker 1: Lady Sylvia goes up center. Vs. Goes up center to
• 1:25:43
  Speaker 1: Lady Sylvia.
• 1:25:44
  Speaker 11: You're out earlier this morning, Lady Sylvia.
• 1:25:47
  Speaker 5: One has to be up very early.
• 1:25:49
  Speaker 1: Sometimes vis hesitates as if about to speak, then, after
• 1:25:54
  Speaker 1: a pause, exits slowly center to left. Angela crossing to
• 1:25:59
  Speaker 1: couch right center.
• 1:26:01
  Speaker 6: I have to.
• 1:26:01
  Speaker 7: Thank you, Lady Sylvia, for such a delightful time last evening.
• 1:26:06
  Speaker 7: I enjoyed myself immensely.
• 1:26:08
  Speaker 1: Puts mallet on couch right center, and sits.
• 1:26:11
  Speaker 5: I saw you did sits.
• 1:26:13
  Speaker 1: In armchair left center, and that.
• 1:26:16
  Speaker 5: Is why I am here this morning. I want to
• 1:26:19
  Speaker 5: speak to you and quite plainly.
• 1:26:23
  Speaker 7: Oh, thank you, miss Miya. You are very young, not
• 1:26:27
  Speaker 7: so very young. I'm nearly nineteen, a mere.
• 1:26:32
  Speaker 1: Child, Angela sweetly to you. Perhaps Angela speaks in the
• 1:26:37
  Speaker 1: most sweetly innocent manner, while Lady Sylvia keeps her feelings
• 1:26:42
  Speaker 1: well under restraint to anyone.
• 1:26:45
  Speaker 7: Of course, I do feel young because I look upon
• 1:26:49
  Speaker 7: girls of two or three and twenty years old, and
• 1:26:53
  Speaker 7: after thirty, well, women and may eyes seem to be
• 1:26:57
  Speaker 7: quite ancient.
• 1:26:58
  Speaker 5: Then poor, yes, well, I didn't come to discuss the
• 1:27:04
  Speaker 5: question of eig.
• 1:27:06
  Speaker 7: I that when you began by saying I was a
• 1:27:08
  Speaker 7: mere child.
• 1:27:09
  Speaker 5: I meant not in years.
• 1:27:11
  Speaker 1: Only rises and goes to chair right center, a little
• 1:27:15
  Speaker 1: above couch.
• 1:27:17
  Speaker 5: Now I wish you to feel that I am your friend,
• 1:27:20
  Speaker 5: your true friend.
• 1:27:22
  Speaker 7: I do, and it makes me very happy.
• 1:27:25
  Speaker 1: Lady Sylvia moves chair down a little to left of couch.
• 1:27:29
  Speaker 5: It is the question of your happiness which concerns me
• 1:27:32
  Speaker 5: at the present moment and impels me to speak to
• 1:27:35
  Speaker 5: you very.
• 1:27:36
  Speaker 1: Seriously, Angela, wonderingly, Lady Sylvia moves a little on couch
• 1:27:43
  Speaker 1: to right. Lady Sylvia glances at windows and sits on chair.
• 1:27:48
  Speaker 5: I want to put you on your guard to warn
• 1:27:51
  Speaker 5: you against mister Viz, mister Vice.
• 1:27:54
  Speaker 1: Rises.
• 1:27:55
  Speaker 5: He's not at all a nice man for you to know, isn't.
• 1:27:59
  Speaker 1: He sits on couch.
• 1:28:02
  Speaker 5: He's anything but a good man, not a good In fact,
• 1:28:06
  Speaker 5: he's an extremely bad.
• 1:28:08
  Speaker 7: Oneh Oh, but he's better now, much better. I know
• 1:28:14
  Speaker 7: he wasn't formally all that he should have been, but
• 1:28:17
  Speaker 7: he looks back with hatred on his best ap sir. No, really,
• 1:28:23
  Speaker 7: he's very sorry for himself, and he's going to begin
• 1:28:26
  Speaker 7: a new life. I know he is because.
• 1:28:29
  Speaker 5: He told me so himself, and this charming resolution of
• 1:28:33
  Speaker 5: his is due to your influence. I suppose he told
• 1:28:36
  Speaker 5: you that.
• 1:28:37
  Speaker 7: I think he did mention it.
• 1:28:40
  Speaker 2: Ugh cool, he says.
• 1:28:41
  Speaker 7: All his friends have become distasteful to him. They're so
• 1:28:45
  Speaker 7: hollow and empty. I think he must have fallen among
• 1:28:48
  Speaker 7: a very bad set of people, don't you.
• 1:28:51
  Speaker 5: You, foolish child? And how long? May I ask? Has
• 1:28:55
  Speaker 5: he been making love to you?
• 1:28:58
  Speaker 7: Making love?
• 1:29:00
  Speaker 5: I presume you know what making love means.
• 1:29:03
  Speaker 2: Oh?
• 1:29:04
  Speaker 1: Yes, Rises and crosses center.
• 1:29:07
  Speaker 7: I've seen people down at dorkin and being holidays. They
• 1:29:11
  Speaker 7: change heads, put their arms around each other's necks, and
• 1:29:14
  Speaker 7: sing at the top of their voices, but mister Vice
• 1:29:18
  Speaker 7: has never even suggested we should do anything of that kind.
• 1:29:21
  Speaker 1: Sits in armchair left center. Lady Sylvia Rises.
• 1:29:26
  Speaker 5: Your simplicity is very refreshing, But let me tell you
• 1:29:29
  Speaker 5: that he is behaving abominably center. Why how because while
• 1:29:36
  Speaker 5: amusing himself with you, he is in love with someone else.
• 1:29:41
  Speaker 7: How can you know?
• 1:29:42
  Speaker 5: I do know, and I pity you with all my.
• 1:29:45
  Speaker 1: Heart, right of Angela.
• 1:29:48
  Speaker 5: I can't let this go on and see you made
• 1:29:50
  Speaker 5: wretched and miserable if I can help it, So do
• 1:29:54
  Speaker 5: do take my advice and have nothing more to say
• 1:29:57
  Speaker 5: to him. I shall feel I have done my duti
• 1:30:00
  Speaker 5: and she'll go home so leaved, if you will promise
• 1:30:03
  Speaker 5: never to see him again.
• 1:30:05
  Speaker 7: Is this someone else? A friend of yours?
• 1:30:10
  Speaker 1: I know her goes.
• 1:30:13
  Speaker 7: Right, But if she doesn't care for him, but she
• 1:30:16
  Speaker 7: does right center, then why doesn't he marry her?
• 1:30:20
  Speaker 5: Because now you will see what kind of man he
• 1:30:24
  Speaker 5: is because she's already married.
• 1:30:27
  Speaker 7: Oh how dreadful?
• 1:30:29
  Speaker 1: Rises?
• 1:30:30
  Speaker 7: Yes, how shocking? Yeah, what a wicked woman she must be?
• 1:30:35
  Speaker 1: She downright Angela left center, Yes, she must.
• 1:30:42
  Speaker 7: Be worse than he. Oh, I think she must be
• 1:30:44
  Speaker 7: infinitely worse, don't you he isn't married, and so he's
• 1:30:49
  Speaker 7: not deceiving his wife. But she, Oh, what a dreadful person,
• 1:30:55
  Speaker 7: How awfully sorry you must feel for her unfortunate husband.
• 1:30:58
  Speaker 1: Lady Sylvia could controlling herself with difficulty.
• 1:31:02
  Speaker 5: At any rate. I hope you will show mister Viz
• 1:31:05
  Speaker 5: that you wish to have nothing more to do with him,
• 1:31:07
  Speaker 5: and Violet must be asked not to invite him to the.
• 1:31:10
  Speaker 7: House, But you invited him to yours.
• 1:31:14
  Speaker 1: Lady Sylvia taken aback.
• 1:31:16
  Speaker 5: I oh, yes, but I am a married woman.
• 1:31:20
  Speaker 7: But from what you've told me, that doesn't appear to
• 1:31:25
  Speaker 7: make much difference to him.
• 1:31:26
  Speaker 5: Well, I've waught you, and you must see that he's
• 1:31:29
  Speaker 5: a man you ought not to know.
• 1:31:31
  Speaker 7: It's affly sweet of you to be anxious on my account.
• 1:31:34
  Speaker 5: My only object was to endeavor to keep you and
• 1:31:37
  Speaker 5: mister Viz apart.
• 1:31:38
  Speaker 7: Thank you so very much. I'm sure you are quite
• 1:31:42
  Speaker 7: like a mother to me.
• 1:31:43
  Speaker 5: I have done my duty that.
• 1:31:45
  Speaker 1: At all goes up center, and I I, dear Lady Sylvia,
• 1:31:52
  Speaker 1: will do my duty.
• 1:31:53
  Speaker 5: That's right.
• 1:31:54
  Speaker 1: Angela sits in armchair left center.
• 1:31:58
  Speaker 7: I see plainly, us, so plainly, that it rests with
• 1:32:02
  Speaker 7: me to save mister Weiss, save him.
• 1:32:05
  Speaker 1: Comes down center, Angela rising and facing her, going to
• 1:32:11
  Speaker 1: couch back center.
• 1:32:13
  Speaker 7: I will do my best, in my poor little way
• 1:32:15
  Speaker 7: to make him forget her sits. I'll try and persuade
• 1:32:19
  Speaker 7: him to come and play croquet here every day so
• 1:32:21
  Speaker 7: that I can see him constantly. I'll use all the
• 1:32:24
  Speaker 7: influence which he says I possess to work upon his
• 1:32:28
  Speaker 7: better nature. And I believe, I quite hope and believe
• 1:32:32
  Speaker 7: I shall end in affecting a complete cure.
• 1:32:35
  Speaker 1: Lady Sylvia losing control. You shall not left of Angela.
• 1:32:41
  Speaker 5: You shall do nothing of the kind.
• 1:32:43
  Speaker 1: Angela rises.
• 1:32:45
  Speaker 5: But Lady sil this simple innocence is very well done.
• 1:32:49
  Speaker 5: But it doesn't hoodwink me. You influence him, you inform him.
• 1:32:55
  Speaker 1: Rubbish crosses right.
• 1:32:58
  Speaker 5: You're in love with him, Yes, you are. You're in
• 1:33:01
  Speaker 5: love with him, and you think you'll catch him.
• 1:33:04
  Speaker 7: Really, I you won't.
• 1:33:06
  Speaker 5: He's far too clever for that. He might marry for money,
• 1:33:09
  Speaker 5: but never for love, and ask for love. You needn't
• 1:33:14
  Speaker 5: flatter yourself. He cares a snap of his finger for you,
• 1:33:17
  Speaker 5: for he.
• 1:33:18
  Speaker 1: Doesn't laughing cynically.
• 1:33:23
  Speaker 5: No, no, oh, dear no, don't imagine that for an instant.
• 1:33:29
  Speaker 7: You seem to know him very well. I do, almost
• 1:33:34
  Speaker 7: as well as that dreadful creature Center.
• 1:33:39
  Speaker 5: What do you mean?
• 1:33:40
  Speaker 1: Pause?
• 1:33:41
  Speaker 5: What do you mean mean? What has he told you?
• 1:33:46
  Speaker 7: Why do you what do you know? Do you mean?
• 1:33:50
  Speaker 5: You know perfectly well what I mean?
• 1:33:52
  Speaker 2: Do I?
• 1:33:53
  Speaker 5: But it's not true. It's absolutely false. And remember this
• 1:33:57
  Speaker 5: that not only people who talks candle, but those who
• 1:34:01
  Speaker 5: repeat it can be punished in a court of law.
• 1:34:04
  Speaker 1: But really, Lady Sylvia, Lady Sylvia, going to door right.
• 1:34:09
  Speaker 5: I've nothing more to say. I've warned you, and you'll
• 1:34:12
  Speaker 5: be sorry for yourself when your eyes are opened. You
• 1:34:15
  Speaker 5: to help him to begin a new life, a new life.
• 1:34:19
  Speaker 1: Laughs cynically, you child, you baby, how thoroughly he must
• 1:34:27
  Speaker 1: enjoy the jew with pretended gravity.
• 1:34:31
  Speaker 5: But never mind that. Don't relax, do your duty, and
• 1:34:35
  Speaker 5: don't don't let anyone deter you from persevering in your
• 1:34:40
  Speaker 5: work of reformation.
• 1:34:41
  Speaker 1: Exit door right, laughing sarcastically. Angela goes to couch right center,
• 1:34:48
  Speaker 1: takes up her mallet, rests the head of it on
• 1:34:51
  Speaker 1: the couch, and stands leaning with both hands on the handle,
• 1:34:55
  Speaker 1: looking after Lady Sylvia with a quiet smile.
• 1:35:00
  Speaker 7: How beautifully she gave herself away.
• 1:35:04
  Speaker 1: A peal of laughter is heard from the garden act drop,
• 1:35:11
  Speaker 1: end of Act two, Act three of A Country Mouse
• 1:35:21
  Speaker 1: by Arthur Law. This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox
• 1:35:26
  Speaker 1: recordings are in the public domain. For more informational to volunteer,
• 1:35:30
  Speaker 1: please visit LibriVox dot org. Act three time the same
• 1:35:37
  Speaker 1: afternoon scene versus chambers in Bond Street. There is a
• 1:35:42
  Speaker 1: fog outside and the stage is only dimly lighted. Enter
• 1:35:48
  Speaker 1: Violet ainslie, Lord Robert Wickham and Missus Cropper door left
• 1:35:53
  Speaker 1: at back, Lord Robert center.
• 1:35:57
  Speaker 2: How long has mister Weiss been gone?
• 1:36:00
  Speaker 1: Missus Cropper left center?
• 1:36:03
  Speaker 8: About a quarter of an hour, sir? But where he went?
• 1:36:06
  Speaker 8: And how long you'll be and what time he'll be
• 1:36:08
  Speaker 8: home again? I don't know no more than.
• 1:36:10
  Speaker 1: A dead Lord Robert A Violet, We may as well? Wait, Violet, right,
• 1:36:18
  Speaker 1: I think so, Lord Robert, Missus Cropper.
• 1:36:22
  Speaker 2: Where is his man, mister Cutter?
• 1:36:25
  Speaker 5: Sir?
• 1:36:26
  Speaker 8: Yes, Carter, Oh he's that too, sir. He telled me
• 1:36:31
  Speaker 8: as our Mistervice said he didn't want him for nothing,
• 1:36:33
  Speaker 8: and he could take the afternoon hisself. So as he's
• 1:36:36
  Speaker 8: gone off to see his young woman, what lives in
• 1:36:38
  Speaker 8: Grosvenor Square? Now I'm telling you a story. It ain't
• 1:36:42
  Speaker 8: Grosvenor Square, It's Grosvenor Place. Because he passed the remark
• 1:36:46
  Speaker 8: that his young lady was up house made along old
• 1:36:49
  Speaker 8: Sir Solomon and lady Jacobs. What start in life in
• 1:36:53
  Speaker 8: the second hand clothes line, just as you and me
• 1:36:56
  Speaker 8: might have done, sir, and only shown a luck as
• 1:36:59
  Speaker 8: falls to some people. For what I will say is this,
• 1:37:02
  Speaker 8: You may scrub, and you may rub.
• 1:37:04
  Speaker 1: Lord Robert trying to stop her.
• 1:37:07
  Speaker 8: Yes, yes, you may scrub, and you may rub.
• 1:37:11
  Speaker 2: Yes, quite so.
• 1:37:13
  Speaker 8: You may scrub, and you may look here.
• 1:37:16
  Speaker 2: Are you a gramophone?
• 1:37:18
  Speaker 8: No, sir, I'm a widder. I lives in the basement,
• 1:37:21
  Speaker 8: cleans up the rooms and swills down the stairs. And
• 1:37:24
  Speaker 8: when it comes to six flights.
• 1:37:26
  Speaker 2: Do you think you could get her some tea?
• 1:37:29
  Speaker 1: Tea?
• 1:37:29
  Speaker 8: Sir?
• 1:37:30
  Speaker 6: Perhaps she doesn't know where the things are kept?
• 1:37:33
  Speaker 8: Oh yes, sir, dosmum, there ain't a look up in
• 1:37:36
  Speaker 8: the place. Mister Wiz leaves everything out. What the gamin
• 1:37:40
  Speaker 8: he is?
• 1:37:41
  Speaker 2: Yes, well we should like some tea.
• 1:37:45
  Speaker 8: And I don't know nothing more refreshing than a nice
• 1:37:47
  Speaker 8: cup of tea I always do say when your arms
• 1:37:50
  Speaker 8: are aching and your back feels al must broken up,
• 1:37:53
  Speaker 8: that a good strong cup with three lumps of sugar
• 1:37:56
  Speaker 8: and not too much milk is a necktie fit for the.
• 1:37:59
  Speaker 1: Gods's Exit door left at back.
• 1:38:03
  Speaker 6: That woman positively takes one's breath away. Good gracious, how
• 1:38:08
  Speaker 6: thick this fog is getting.
• 1:38:11
  Speaker 2: Yes, by jove, it's almost quite dark. I say, it's
• 1:38:16
  Speaker 2: just as well their carter's absent. I told you Vice
• 1:38:20
  Speaker 2: wouldn't be here, didn't I. Now we'll have a ripping
• 1:38:23
  Speaker 2: time all to ourselves.
• 1:38:27
  Speaker 1: About to embrace her and to missus. Cropper door left
• 1:38:31
  Speaker 1: at back.
• 1:38:33
  Speaker 8: Oh my goodness, the room is full of this blessed fog.
• 1:38:36
  Speaker 2: Here.
• 1:38:37
  Speaker 1: I'll give you some light switches on the electric light.
• 1:38:41
  Speaker 8: Ah, I beg pardon, but will you take anything with
• 1:38:44
  Speaker 8: your tea? A boiled egg or some blood of paste?
• 1:38:48
  Speaker 1: Violet sits right of table, right center.
• 1:38:52
  Speaker 2: A little bread and butter cake, anything.
• 1:38:57
  Speaker 8: You'll excuse me for asking you. But what I always
• 1:39:00
  Speaker 8: say is I do a tea on an empty stomach.
• 1:39:04
  Speaker 1: Exit door left at back. Lord Robert sitting on back
• 1:39:09
  Speaker 1: of table, right center and close to Violet.
• 1:39:13
  Speaker 2: As I was saying, I knew we should be alone here.
• 1:39:17
  Speaker 2: We have the whole afternoon before us, and by jove,
• 1:39:21
  Speaker 2: it's almost too good to be true to feel I've
• 1:39:25
  Speaker 2: got you all to myself.
• 1:39:28
  Speaker 6: You silly old boy.
• 1:39:30
  Speaker 2: Ah, my dearest darling, my own own.
• 1:39:36
  Speaker 1: About to embrace her, and to Missus Cropper, Lord Robert
• 1:39:40
  Speaker 1: and Violet rise.
• 1:39:42
  Speaker 8: Oh, I beg pardon, you must excuse me, sir. And
• 1:39:45
  Speaker 8: you're good laid too. But as mister Vice is out,
• 1:39:48
  Speaker 8: and mister Cutter as well, and maybe in a charge
• 1:39:51
  Speaker 8: of the premises and the responsibility like and have just
• 1:39:55
  Speaker 8: happened to strike me that perhaps you wouldn't mind being
• 1:39:58
  Speaker 8: so good as to tell me who you are?
• 1:40:02
  Speaker 1: Lord Robert confused, h quite so? To be sure, I
• 1:40:10
  Speaker 1: Violet crossing left, I am mister Weiss's sister, Missus Cropper senta.
• 1:40:18
  Speaker 8: Oh indeed, ma'am Lord Robert right.
• 1:40:23
  Speaker 2: Yes, and I am his brother.
• 1:40:27
  Speaker 8: Oh indeed, sir, what I do umbly out? You'll forgive
• 1:40:31
  Speaker 8: me put in a question?
• 1:40:33
  Speaker 2: Yes, yes, certainly you're quite right.
• 1:40:37
  Speaker 8: Of course I didn't think there was exactly anything wrong,
• 1:40:40
  Speaker 8: and I never thought you looked as if you weren't respectable,
• 1:40:43
  Speaker 8: because you do. But one can't be too careful, for
• 1:40:46
  Speaker 8: mistakes is made sometimes, and there's a lot of queer
• 1:40:50
  Speaker 8: people about.
• 1:40:51
  Speaker 1: Exit door left at back, Lord Robert laughing, His sister
• 1:40:59
  Speaker 1: goes left to Violet.
• 1:41:01
  Speaker 2: What the dickens made you say that?
• 1:41:05
  Speaker 6: What could I say?
• 1:41:07
  Speaker 2: But how you jumped at it.
• 1:41:10
  Speaker 6: Because I thought you were going to give us away.
• 1:41:13
  Speaker 6: It's all very well for you, my dear man. But
• 1:41:15
  Speaker 6: if i'd given her my name, she'd have told mister
• 1:41:18
  Speaker 6: Weiss I'd been here. And then, don't you see you goose?
• 1:41:23
  Speaker 2: Yes, yes, sister was distinctly good, and I laughing, I
• 1:41:31
  Speaker 2: capped it with brother, didn't I, dear old Vice? Who'll
• 1:41:35
  Speaker 2: wonder who on earth we were?
• 1:41:38
  Speaker 6: I hope to heavens he won't recognize me from her description.
• 1:41:42
  Speaker 2: Not he I'll undertake to put him off the scent. Now, now,
• 1:41:47
  Speaker 2: my dear Violet, don't frighten yourself. There's no danger, not
• 1:41:52
  Speaker 2: the least I assure you. It's perfectly safe, far safer
• 1:41:57
  Speaker 2: than down below in the tea shop, where anyone might
• 1:42:01
  Speaker 2: see us. Ah, my own dearest love.
• 1:42:05
  Speaker 1: My about to embrace her, Violet retreating.
• 1:42:11
  Speaker 6: No, no, not yet, wait till she's.
• 1:42:14
  Speaker 1: Brought in the tea goes right.
• 1:42:18
  Speaker 6: He's got rather nice rooms, hasn't he not.
• 1:42:22
  Speaker 1: Bard sits in chair left center, looking sulky.
• 1:42:27
  Speaker 6: I like exploring, don't you.
• 1:42:31
  Speaker 1: Pushes open door right and looks in.
• 1:42:34
  Speaker 6: I suppose this is, yes, a small dining room, very cozy, though. Oh,
• 1:42:41
  Speaker 6: I think you men know how to make yourselves comfy.
• 1:42:44
  Speaker 1: Pointing to door left, what's in there? Lord Robert rises?
• 1:42:51
  Speaker 2: Sort of box rooms?
• 1:42:52
  Speaker 1: I fancy goes to door left. Violet going up right.
• 1:43:00
  Speaker 6: I'm bent on a tour of inspection. It's fun looking
• 1:43:03
  Speaker 6: over a man's rooms, particularly when the man's away.
• 1:43:07
  Speaker 1: Lord Robert looking in at door.
• 1:43:09
  Speaker 2: Left, portmanteaus and hat boxes. Keeps his guns and fishing
• 1:43:16
  Speaker 2: tackle here too.
• 1:43:18
  Speaker 1: Violet opening cupboard doors right at back.
• 1:43:22
  Speaker 6: This is only a kind of landing with a ladder
• 1:43:24
  Speaker 6: going up somewhere.
• 1:43:26
  Speaker 1: Lord Robert going up.
• 1:43:28
  Speaker 2: To Violet, I'll leads through a trapdoor to the roof.
• 1:43:32
  Speaker 2: I expect that's in case of fire, you know.
• 1:43:36
  Speaker 1: Violet coming down left.
• 1:43:39
  Speaker 6: What an awful thing to be caught by fire.
• 1:43:42
  Speaker 1: Lord Robert upstage.
• 1:43:45
  Speaker 2: Or a husband. That ladder might be useful in either event.
• 1:43:51
  Speaker 1: Shuts cupboard doors.
• 1:43:53
  Speaker 6: I wish you wouldn't talk of husbands. When we've come
• 1:43:56
  Speaker 6: here to spend a pleasant afternoon, sit.
• 1:44:00
  Speaker 1: Sin chair left center. Lord Robert comes down center.
• 1:44:05
  Speaker 2: Well, there's no danger of yours turning.
• 1:44:07
  Speaker 6: Up not the slightest. What would you do if he did?
• 1:44:13
  Speaker 1: Lord Robert, pointing to cupboard, make straight for.
• 1:44:17
  Speaker 2: The roof, you wretch.
• 1:44:20
  Speaker 6: Do you know I can't imagine why you're so very
• 1:44:23
  Speaker 6: much opposed to marriage?
• 1:44:25
  Speaker 1: Lord Robert takes chair from left of table, right center
• 1:44:30
  Speaker 1: and brings it center and leans over back of it.
• 1:44:35
  Speaker 2: Opposed, not at all. I strongly advocate marriage in other people.
• 1:44:42
  Speaker 2: The truth is, my dear child, I'm excessively romantic. There's
• 1:44:47
  Speaker 2: a deep vein of sentiment in my character, and the
• 1:44:51
  Speaker 2: ordinary prosaic attachment to the conventional girl doesn't appeal to
• 1:44:57
  Speaker 2: me in the least. I know because I've tried it.
• 1:45:02
  Speaker 2: I was once engaged for two days to a charming creature,
• 1:45:07
  Speaker 2: a sylph, a fairy. The day after I proposed, I
• 1:45:13
  Speaker 2: called on her mother. She was well, not a fairy,
• 1:45:19
  Speaker 2: and she was fatally pleased at her daughter's engagement. Then
• 1:45:24
  Speaker 2: two brothers and three sisters appeared, all infernally pleased. Lastly,
• 1:45:31
  Speaker 2: the father came in and he was damnably pleased. That
• 1:45:36
  Speaker 2: settled it. The entire family, with one accord, sat on
• 1:45:42
  Speaker 2: the flower of my romance and crushed it. And I
• 1:45:46
  Speaker 2: left the house never to return.
• 1:45:51
  Speaker 6: Your love had a short life.
• 1:45:53
  Speaker 1: Lord Robert placed his chair right of violet and sits naturally.
• 1:45:59
  Speaker 2: It is killed by the commonplace. For the existence of
• 1:46:03
  Speaker 2: a really great passion that is worthy of the name,
• 1:46:08
  Speaker 2: three persons are necessary, the husband, the wife, and the
• 1:46:14
  Speaker 2: other one.
• 1:46:16
  Speaker 6: But how will it end.
• 1:46:18
  Speaker 2: In the usual way? By the survival of the fittest
• 1:46:23
  Speaker 2: Love is a poetic dream is only possible when it's
• 1:46:27
  Speaker 2: hemmed in by difficulties, attended with the risks, and accompanied
• 1:46:33
  Speaker 2: by the charm of uncertainty. Why are we here today?
• 1:46:38
  Speaker 6: We oughtn't to.
• 1:46:39
  Speaker 1: Have come rises and crosses? Right, Lord Robert rises.
• 1:46:46
  Speaker 2: Exactly, That's why we're here.
• 1:46:50
  Speaker 1: Puts chair back at left of table, right center.
• 1:46:54
  Speaker 2: What is the toast and water of matrimony compared with
• 1:46:59
  Speaker 2: the champagneane of the stolen interview? Ah? Don't you realize?
• 1:47:05
  Speaker 2: Don't you appreciate the ineffable attraction of our equivocal position.
• 1:47:12
  Speaker 6: Ah, I'm a little bit afraid I do.
• 1:47:16
  Speaker 2: Of course, it's a natural instinct. Ah. My beautiful sweetheart, my.
• 1:47:24
  Speaker 1: About to embrace her. The door outside in the passage
• 1:47:27
  Speaker 1: is heard to slam.
• 1:47:29
  Speaker 4: Shush.
• 1:47:30
  Speaker 1: Listen, looking at door left at back.
• 1:47:34
  Speaker 6: What I heard the door?
• 1:47:37
  Speaker 1: The woman Violet alarmed?
• 1:47:41
  Speaker 6: No, No, her voice A man's.
• 1:47:43
  Speaker 1: Voice, going quickly right. I heard him distinctly, Lord Robert listening.
• 1:47:52
  Speaker 2: It can't be.
• 1:47:53
  Speaker 1: Vice runs to door left at back, opens it and
• 1:47:58
  Speaker 1: peeps out.
• 1:48:00
  Speaker 6: Good gracious, I hope not.
• 1:48:03
  Speaker 1: Lord Robert shuts door softly, but quickly.
• 1:48:06
  Speaker 2: Look out. They're coming up the dining room. Go into
• 1:48:10
  Speaker 2: the dining.
• 1:48:11
  Speaker 1: Room, Violet half angrily.
• 1:48:15
  Speaker 6: And you told me we would be perfectly safe.
• 1:48:17
  Speaker 1: Here, Lord Robert, going quickly right.
• 1:48:22
  Speaker 2: Never mind what I told you, into the dining room.
• 1:48:26
  Speaker 1: Violet exits quickly, door right, followed by Lord Robert. Enter
• 1:48:32
  Speaker 1: Angela mure and vis door left at back.
• 1:48:36
  Speaker 7: Oh, so this is the lady's tea room.
• 1:48:39
  Speaker 1: Comes down right center, looking round room.
• 1:48:43
  Speaker 11: Yes, this is the lady's tea room.
• 1:48:46
  Speaker 1: Puts his hat and stick on table right of door,
• 1:48:50
  Speaker 1: left at back. Angela looking round room.
• 1:48:55
  Speaker 7: There's no one here at present.
• 1:48:57
  Speaker 11: Isn't there? No? I suppose it is a little early.
• 1:49:02
  Speaker 7: I don't think it's quite such a pretty room as
• 1:49:04
  Speaker 7: the one downstairs. No, but it's quieter, Yes, it seems quieter.
• 1:49:12
  Speaker 7: Will your friends know where to find us when they come?
• 1:49:15
  Speaker 1: My friends comes down left of Angela.
• 1:49:21
  Speaker 11: Oh, I've got didn't I tell you? They've all disappointed me.
• 1:49:26
  Speaker 11: I had three wires at the last moment to say
• 1:49:28
  Speaker 11: they couldn't.
• 1:49:29
  Speaker 1: Come, Angela, Santa.
• 1:49:32
  Speaker 7: Oh, how very annoying?
• 1:49:36
  Speaker 11: Do you mind?
• 1:49:38
  Speaker 7: I was thinking of your disappointment.
• 1:49:41
  Speaker 11: Oh, I don't care snap. In fact, I'm afy glad
• 1:49:44
  Speaker 11: because it will be so much jollier all by ourselves.
• 1:49:49
  Speaker 7: You don't think I require a chaperone, not at all.
• 1:49:54
  Speaker 7: I only ask because I know nothing about these things.
• 1:49:58
  Speaker 7: You see, I live in country.
• 1:50:01
  Speaker 11: And you bring the center the hay with you. I say,
• 1:50:04
  Speaker 11: isn't this fog awful? I'm afraid it's going to be
• 1:50:08
  Speaker 11: a regular piece.
• 1:50:09
  Speaker 1: Super goes up to window left and in the summer
• 1:50:15
  Speaker 1: too sits left of table right center.
• 1:50:20
  Speaker 7: Do you know I've never seen a real London fog?
• 1:50:23
  Speaker 11: Ah, then I expect this one is on show for
• 1:50:26
  Speaker 11: your special benefit.
• 1:50:28
  Speaker 1: Enter missus Cropper door left at back with tray containing
• 1:50:32
  Speaker 1: tea service. She comes slowly down left center, staring at
• 1:50:38
  Speaker 1: Angela and crosses round right and up to right of
• 1:50:42
  Speaker 1: table right center. As she crosses, Angela rises and goes
• 1:50:47
  Speaker 1: center to Vis, who meets her up center. VS stares
• 1:50:51
  Speaker 1: at missus cropper. Angela aside to Vis, who is that?
• 1:50:57
  Speaker 3: Eh?
• 1:50:58
  Speaker 4: Oh?
• 1:51:00
  Speaker 1: Aside to Angela the waitress with the tea, missus Cropper
• 1:51:06
  Speaker 1: putting tray on table.
• 1:51:08
  Speaker 8: I saw you come in, sir so. I hurried up
• 1:51:11
  Speaker 8: and you're just in time.
• 1:51:13
  Speaker 11: I ah, thank you.
• 1:51:15
  Speaker 8: Oh, I didn't know whether you was coming back or not,
• 1:51:17
  Speaker 8: sir so. I tell your brother and sister.
• 1:51:20
  Speaker 1: What Angela aside to VS.
• 1:51:24
  Speaker 7: Were you expecting your brother and VS?
• 1:51:27
  Speaker 1: Aside to Angela.
• 1:51:30
  Speaker 11: What, No, she thinks I'm someone else.
• 1:51:35
  Speaker 1: Goes left with Angela and they stand with their backs
• 1:51:39
  Speaker 1: to missus Cropper. Missus cropper arranging tray.
• 1:51:43
  Speaker 8: I made you a nice cup of tea, A spoonful
• 1:51:46
  Speaker 8: for h and one for the pot.
• 1:51:48
  Speaker 1: Goes to door right and calls as if to Lord
• 1:51:51
  Speaker 1: Robert and violet.
• 1:51:53
  Speaker 8: TEA is quite raiser when you.
• 1:51:55
  Speaker 1: Are turns away from door right, Vis turning.
• 1:52:01
  Speaker 11: Yes, all right, thanks, missus.
• 1:52:05
  Speaker 1: Cropper at table right center.
• 1:52:08
  Speaker 8: I think you'll find I'll cut the bread butters then
• 1:52:11
  Speaker 8: as a wafer and I've got the cake and the
• 1:52:13
  Speaker 8: biscuits down in the shop.
• 1:52:15
  Speaker 1: Goes center. Angela crosses right, yees, yes, missus cropper, pulling
• 1:52:23
  Speaker 1: down her sleeves.
• 1:52:25
  Speaker 8: I do hope, sir, that you'll excuse a state armen.
• 1:52:28
  Speaker 8: But this is my washing and scrubbing day, and as
• 1:52:32
  Speaker 8: the lady'll tell you, you can't clean the house and yourself
• 1:52:35
  Speaker 8: at the same time.
• 1:52:37
  Speaker 1: Exit door left at back. No quite, so re enter
• 1:52:43
  Speaker 1: missus cropper quickly.
• 1:52:45
  Speaker 8: Oh well there, I am forgetful. You'll want two more cups,
• 1:52:50
  Speaker 8: won't you? Or not keep you a minute?
• 1:52:53
  Speaker 1: Exit door left at back.
• 1:52:56
  Speaker 7: What a funny woman, isn't she?
• 1:52:59
  Speaker 11: Yes, a sort of charwoman. I fancy. I suppose they're
• 1:53:02
  Speaker 11: short a waitress today and so they're making use of her.
• 1:53:07
  Speaker 7: How in the world shall I get home? If the fog.
• 1:53:10
  Speaker 11: Lasts, you'll have to stay here till it clears.
• 1:53:14
  Speaker 7: Oh, but you'll be getting so tired of.
• 1:53:16
  Speaker 11: Me, so tired that I wish the fog would last
• 1:53:21
  Speaker 11: all week.
• 1:53:23
  Speaker 1: Angela smiling, Oh a month, oh a year, Oh laughs,
• 1:53:34
  Speaker 1: and goes right vis going right.
• 1:53:39
  Speaker 11: Now, let me give you some tea.
• 1:53:41
  Speaker 7: No, no, I'll precide over the tea. That's my province.
• 1:53:46
  Speaker 1: Puts her sunshade on couch right and sits at back
• 1:53:50
  Speaker 1: of table, right center facing audience vs. Stands left of her.
• 1:53:57
  Speaker 11: By jove, I wish you could pour out tea for
• 1:54:01
  Speaker 11: me every.
• 1:54:02
  Speaker 1: Day, Angela, pouring out tea.
• 1:54:06
  Speaker 7: That's precisely what our vicar said only last week.
• 1:54:10
  Speaker 11: It's like his impertinence.
• 1:54:13
  Speaker 7: Oh no, he meant it. Has he a wife, no,
• 1:54:17
  Speaker 7: poor man, he can't afford one. He told me so,
• 1:54:20
  Speaker 7: and I felt very sorry for him. He spoke so pathetically,
• 1:54:25
  Speaker 7: and there were tears in his eyes when he wanted
• 1:54:27
  Speaker 7: to kiss me.
• 1:54:28
  Speaker 1: These sits left of table.
• 1:54:31
  Speaker 11: And did he kiss you?
• 1:54:34
  Speaker 7: Yes, these rises, but only as a clergyman. Do you
• 1:54:39
  Speaker 7: take cream?
• 1:54:41
  Speaker 11: Please?
• 1:54:43
  Speaker 1: Goes close to her, and sugar please, Angela holding up
• 1:54:48
  Speaker 1: sugar bowl.
• 1:54:50
  Speaker 7: Perhaps you'd better help yourself.
• 1:54:52
  Speaker 1: This gazing at her.
• 1:54:55
  Speaker 11: I should like to help myself, and I feel I
• 1:54:58
  Speaker 11: can't help myself, for I must help myself.
• 1:55:03
  Speaker 1: And about to kiss her, the electric bell rings and
• 1:55:07
  Speaker 1: he draws back.
• 1:55:09
  Speaker 11: Now who the digguns Angela?
• 1:55:13
  Speaker 1: Quietly?
• 1:55:14
  Speaker 9: What is it?
• 1:55:15
  Speaker 1: Vis a little up left?
• 1:55:18
  Speaker 11: The bell? That idiot of a woman will say him
• 1:55:21
  Speaker 11: at home.
• 1:55:23
  Speaker 1: Runs to door left at back.
• 1:55:26
  Speaker 7: Perhaps the room downstairs is quite full.
• 1:55:29
  Speaker 1: Vis opening door, putting his head out and beckoning to
• 1:55:33
  Speaker 1: missus Cropper.
• 1:55:34
  Speaker 11: Here Histoste confound how she's gone to the door, pauses, Bye,
• 1:55:42
  Speaker 11: George shuts door quickly. It's Sylvia, who ladies Sylvia.
• 1:55:51
  Speaker 1: Bulby switches off the electric light. The stage is nearly dark.
• 1:55:57
  Speaker 1: Angela rises, What did you do that for? Goes down right?
• 1:56:04
  Speaker 11: You mustn't be seen, mustn't I No, no, she'll tell
• 1:56:10
  Speaker 11: her cousin Violet. And you don't want her to know
• 1:56:12
  Speaker 11: where you've been, do you do you?
• 1:56:16
  Speaker 7: No?
• 1:56:16
  Speaker 1: I don't goes to door right this, going quickly to
• 1:56:21
  Speaker 1: cupboard doors right at back.
• 1:56:25
  Speaker 11: No, no, not in there here, going here. It's a
• 1:56:28
  Speaker 11: sort of cupboard. You'll be quite safe.
• 1:56:31
  Speaker 1: Opens cupboard doors.
• 1:56:34
  Speaker 7: Why should I go in a cupboard? There are a
• 1:56:36
  Speaker 7: mice in that cupboard.
• 1:56:38
  Speaker 11: There's not a mice, I mean mouse.
• 1:56:41
  Speaker 1: Angela takes cup of tea and piece of cake from table.
• 1:56:45
  Speaker 1: Quick quick, Angela going up to cupboard.
• 1:56:50
  Speaker 7: You bring me out to tea and you shut me
• 1:56:52
  Speaker 7: in a cupboard.
• 1:56:54
  Speaker 1: Angela goes into cupboard.
• 1:56:57
  Speaker 11: She won't stay long. I'll get rid of her soon
• 1:57:00
  Speaker 11: as possible.
• 1:57:01
  Speaker 1: Shuts cupboard doors. Angela inside cupboard.
• 1:57:06
  Speaker 7: I want to go back to the country.
• 1:57:08
  Speaker 1: Vis runs to couch right, lies back on it with
• 1:57:12
  Speaker 1: his feet up and fagns sleep. Enter Lady Sylvia, bowlby
• 1:57:17
  Speaker 1: and Missus Cropper door left at back. Missus Cropper carries
• 1:57:22
  Speaker 1: a salver with two cups and saucers. Lady Sylvia comes
• 1:57:27
  Speaker 1: down left center.
• 1:57:29
  Speaker 8: Walk in man, please, oh dear me, we're all in
• 1:57:33
  Speaker 8: the dark. What a fog it is to be sure? Well,
• 1:57:36
  Speaker 8: really I never did.
• 1:57:38
  Speaker 1: Switches light on and goes to table right center with cups.
• 1:57:42
  Speaker 11: Eh, who's that?
• 1:57:45
  Speaker 1: Turns his head?
• 1:57:47
  Speaker 5: What?
• 1:57:48
  Speaker 11: Oh?
• 1:57:50
  Speaker 1: Rising affecting surprise.
• 1:57:53
  Speaker 11: I beg your pardon.
• 1:57:55
  Speaker 1: Missus Cropper glances about, wondering what has become of the others.
• 1:58:00
  Speaker 1: Lady Sylvia shaking her head warningly.
• 1:58:03
  Speaker 5: How do you do?
• 1:58:04
  Speaker 1: Mister viz Ah delighted de Seal crosses to Lady Sylvia.
• 1:58:11
  Speaker 11: I'm I'm afraid I was asleep.
• 1:58:15
  Speaker 1: Shakes hands. Missus Cropper counting cups at table.
• 1:58:19
  Speaker 8: Aside one, two, three, four.
• 1:58:23
  Speaker 1: Glancing at Lady Sylvia. Now five allowed, going to door
• 1:58:29
  Speaker 1: left at back.
• 1:58:31
  Speaker 8: You want another cap?
• 1:58:33
  Speaker 1: Sair vise impatiently, all right, all right, I hope the
• 1:58:39
  Speaker 1: lady will excuse a state in my working clothes.
• 1:58:42
  Speaker 8: You see, Mom, I didn't know as mister Voyce was
• 1:58:44
  Speaker 8: expecting company, or you wouldn't have found me.
• 1:58:47
  Speaker 1: Undressed exit door left at back Lady Sylvia, very coldly.
• 1:58:54
  Speaker 5: I said last night I would send you a note today,
• 1:58:57
  Speaker 5: but on second thoughts, I decided to come myself. You
• 1:59:01
  Speaker 5: didn't get my telegram.
• 1:59:04
  Speaker 1: Telegram telegram going to writing table left.
• 1:59:10
  Speaker 5: I knew you did not, because I see you didn't
• 1:59:13
  Speaker 5: expect me.
• 1:59:15
  Speaker 1: Right center, vis taking up telegram from writing table and
• 1:59:20
  Speaker 1: tearing it open.
• 1:59:22
  Speaker 11: By jove, here it is. It must have come when
• 1:59:25
  Speaker 11: I was out, and that woman never told me.
• 1:59:29
  Speaker 1: Glancing over message, Yes, this is.
• 1:59:32
  Speaker 5: It, and you never saw it, although it was there
• 1:59:36
  Speaker 5: before your eyes.
• 1:59:38
  Speaker 11: I can't think how.
• 1:59:41
  Speaker 5: No, I can.
• 1:59:43
  Speaker 1: You were too much occupied looking at tea table. Occupied
• 1:59:51
  Speaker 1: Lady Sylvia pointing to tea things You are not alone,
• 1:59:56
  Speaker 1: stands behind table.
• 1:59:59
  Speaker 11: Oh oh yes, yes, some men dropped him.
• 2:00:03
  Speaker 1: Center indeed sees Angela's sunshade on couch, goes right and picks.
• 2:00:11
  Speaker 5: It up, and one of them left his son shade behind.
• 2:00:16
  Speaker 11: One of one of their wives.
• 2:00:18
  Speaker 5: You mean, how very forgetful.
• 2:00:23
  Speaker 1: I wonder which it was Lady Sylvia looking at initials
• 2:00:27
  Speaker 1: on silver band round the handle.
• 2:00:30
  Speaker 5: Here are her initials, A M. H.
• 2:00:35
  Speaker 11: Maxwell, Lady Maxwell.
• 2:00:39
  Speaker 5: What does A stand for? A?
• 2:00:43
  Speaker 4: Oh?
• 2:00:43
  Speaker 11: Anne or Amelia?
• 2:00:46
  Speaker 1: I think it's Anne, Lady Sylvia looking fixedly at him
• 2:00:52
  Speaker 1: or Angela?
• 2:00:55
  Speaker 11: Is it? Perhaps so? I don't know.
• 2:00:59
  Speaker 5: Lady Maxwell's name is Edith?
• 2:01:02
  Speaker 11: Are then a campy hairs?
• 2:01:04
  Speaker 1: No throw sunshade on couch vehemently at comes down right
• 2:01:13
  Speaker 1: of table.
• 2:01:14
  Speaker 5: Do you think I'm a fool? Do you think I
• 2:01:16
  Speaker 5: didn't see how you were taken up with that Angela
• 2:01:19
  Speaker 5: Mure all last evening with hardly a word or look
• 2:01:23
  Speaker 5: for anyone else. She with her eyes and her blushes
• 2:01:26
  Speaker 5: and her pretty shy ways, so charming, so artless, losing
• 2:01:32
  Speaker 5: her fair, losing her fiddlestick, so fresh, so natural, so.
• 2:01:38
  Speaker 1: Sweetly simple, goes center.
• 2:01:42
  Speaker 5: The dear little innocent baby was playing with you, twisting
• 2:01:46
  Speaker 5: you round her finger, while you, you who call yourself
• 2:01:50
  Speaker 5: a man of the world, were as completely tricked and
• 2:01:53
  Speaker 5: conjoled as the veriest schoolboy.
• 2:01:56
  Speaker 11: Really, you know this is all pure imagination on your part.
• 2:02:00
  Speaker 5: Perhaps it is pure imagination that you were playing crooke
• 2:02:04
  Speaker 5: with her this morning.
• 2:02:06
  Speaker 1: Scornfully crook goes up center vice, following her.
• 2:02:14
  Speaker 11: I assure you you haven't the slightest reason to be
• 2:02:18
  Speaker 11: I'm not blind face raising his voice. You haven't the
• 2:02:24
  Speaker 11: slightest reason.
• 2:02:25
  Speaker 1: To be, Nor am I deaf face lowering his voice,
• 2:02:33
  Speaker 1: the slightest reason to be jealous?
• 2:02:37
  Speaker 5: Jealous? How dare you say I'm jealous? I a jealous
• 2:02:42
  Speaker 5: of a little country chit like that?
• 2:02:45
  Speaker 1: Crosses left, No, of course, not right center.
• 2:02:52
  Speaker 5: I'm only sorry for you, sorry to find you're so
• 2:02:56
  Speaker 5: easily taken in.
• 2:02:58
  Speaker 11: Yes, well, never mind her now.
• 2:03:01
  Speaker 1: Lady Sylvia, forcing a smile. I don't mind sits in
• 2:03:08
  Speaker 1: armchair left center. That's right, Lady Sylvia, with assumed sweetness.
• 2:03:15
  Speaker 1: After a pause, you won't see her again?
• 2:03:19
  Speaker 11: No, no, no, Lady Sylvia laughs softly. Why do you laugh?
• 2:03:31
  Speaker 5: I was wondering? Laughs, Yes, I was wondering how you
• 2:03:38
  Speaker 5: intend to avoid seeing her?
• 2:03:40
  Speaker 11: That's easy enough, is it? Of course?
• 2:03:46
  Speaker 5: I see one difficulty?
• 2:03:48
  Speaker 11: What's that?
• 2:03:50
  Speaker 1: Lady Sylvia? Sternly? She's here now rises, I'll take my.
• 2:03:58
  Speaker 6: Oath, will you?
• 2:04:00
  Speaker 5: In that case you will have no objection to my
• 2:04:02
  Speaker 5: proving the truth of your assertion.
• 2:04:05
  Speaker 1: Cross is right?
• 2:04:07
  Speaker 11: Oh, well, you must do as you please.
• 2:04:10
  Speaker 5: Thank you very much.
• 2:04:13
  Speaker 1: Exit door right. Vs Runs up to cupboard and opens
• 2:04:17
  Speaker 1: door a few inches. Vis to Angela.
• 2:04:21
  Speaker 11: If anyone tries this door gap the ladder, there's a
• 2:04:23
  Speaker 11: trap door at the top.
• 2:04:25
  Speaker 1: Angela in cupboard.
• 2:04:27
  Speaker 7: Yes, but I want some work.
• 2:04:30
  Speaker 1: Cake shut shuts doors quickly and comes down left center.
• 2:04:37
  Speaker 1: Lady Sylvia in room right while.
• 2:04:41
  Speaker 5: You are standing there behind the window curtain. I'm afraid
• 2:04:44
  Speaker 5: the tea will be getting cold.
• 2:04:46
  Speaker 1: These astounded, Great Scott, What on earth? Enter Lady Sylvia?
• 2:04:53
  Speaker 5: Door right, Really, it was very impolite of you to
• 2:04:57
  Speaker 5: leave Miss Muir alone.
• 2:04:59
  Speaker 11: So long, Miss Mula.
• 2:05:03
  Speaker 5: And all in the dark too. Hadn't you better go
• 2:05:07
  Speaker 5: and make your apologies?
• 2:05:09
  Speaker 1: Cross is left. This goes towards door right and to
• 2:05:14
  Speaker 1: Violet and Lord Robert door right. Lady Sylvia and Vise
• 2:05:19
  Speaker 1: stare aghast at them.
• 2:05:21
  Speaker 11: Well I'm hanged.
• 2:05:29
  Speaker 1: Urse into a fit of laughter. Violet to Lady Sylvia.
• 2:05:34
  Speaker 6: Good gracious dear.
• 2:05:35
  Speaker 1: We had no idea it was you right center.
• 2:05:39
  Speaker 2: No, we thought Vice was bringing in a friend, a
• 2:05:44
  Speaker 2: visitor whom missus Ainsley didn't know, and so we we
• 2:05:49
  Speaker 2: thought he'd like us to wait in the dining room
• 2:05:52
  Speaker 2: for a bit.
• 2:05:53
  Speaker 1: Cross is left to Lady Sylvia. Lady Sylvia smiling sweetly. Oh,
• 2:05:59
  Speaker 1: I quite stand Vise going to Violet.
• 2:06:04
  Speaker 11: I hadn't a notion there was anyone here. I'm awfully pleased.
• 2:06:08
  Speaker 1: To see you, Lord Robert. Aside to Lady Sylvia.
• 2:06:14
  Speaker 2: You won't mention having met Missus ainslie here?
• 2:06:19
  Speaker 1: Oh no, no, I thought not vse Aside to Violet.
• 2:06:26
  Speaker 11: That's sunshade there. Say it's yours?
• 2:06:28
  Speaker 6: Will you mine?
• 2:06:31
  Speaker 11: Yes? No, wait, say it's miss mewers. Why you brought
• 2:06:38
  Speaker 11: it by mistake? What do you please ask him for? It?
• 2:06:44
  Speaker 1: Goes to back of chair, right center, Oh, very well,
• 2:06:49
  Speaker 1: to Lord Robert bob yes, goes to Violet right center.
• 2:06:57
  Speaker 6: I wish you'd find my sunshade, Lord Robert, going.
• 2:07:01
  Speaker 2: Right, sunshade, sunshade? Where did you leave it? Oh? Here
• 2:07:07
  Speaker 2: it is?
• 2:07:09
  Speaker 1: Takes up sunshade from couch right?
• 2:07:13
  Speaker 6: Ah? Thanks?
• 2:07:15
  Speaker 5: Is that yours?
• 2:07:17
  Speaker 1: Going centa Violet taking sunshade from Lord Robert? Yes, at
• 2:07:24
  Speaker 1: least no looking at it.
• 2:07:28
  Speaker 6: Why where did I get it? Oh? It's Angela's. I
• 2:07:33
  Speaker 6: brought away Angelus by mistake.
• 2:07:35
  Speaker 1: How stupid comes down? Right? These smiles and nods to
• 2:07:41
  Speaker 1: Lady Sylvia as much as to say, there you see
• 2:07:45
  Speaker 1: where is mimual today?
• 2:07:47
  Speaker 6: She said she was going to meet some friends at
• 2:07:49
  Speaker 6: Westminster Abbey. She's so fond of going about to such
• 2:07:53
  Speaker 6: queer places. May I help myself to some tea?
• 2:07:58
  Speaker 1: Sits right at table. Lord Robert sits at back of
• 2:08:01
  Speaker 1: table facing audience, vas behind chair left center. Oh, do
• 2:08:09
  Speaker 1: aside to Lady Sylvia, who has come right of him.
• 2:08:12
  Speaker 11: Don't you think you've been a little hard on me?
• 2:08:16
  Speaker 1: Lady Sylvia? Humbly, you must admit I had reason for
• 2:08:21
  Speaker 1: suspicion vice earnestly.
• 2:08:25
  Speaker 11: It hurts me horribly.
• 2:08:27
  Speaker 1: Lady Sylvia penitently, Ah.
• 2:08:31
  Speaker 5: Gie, I'm sorry, you must forget it.
• 2:08:34
  Speaker 11: I'll try to.
• 2:08:36
  Speaker 1: Turns upstage with Lady Sylvia. Lord Robert aside to Violet.
• 2:08:42
  Speaker 2: Your husband will never hear anything through her. She'd be
• 2:08:47
  Speaker 2: giving herself away.
• 2:08:49
  Speaker 1: What a comfort, isn't it gives him a cup of tea?
• 2:08:54
  Speaker 2: Yes, for the future. We four constitute a mutual protection society.
• 2:09:01
  Speaker 2: Do you know I almost wish you were not married?
• 2:09:05
  Speaker 6: Do you come and see me tomorrow and I'll tell
• 2:09:09
  Speaker 6: you something.
• 2:09:10
  Speaker 11: I hope the tea isn't cold.
• 2:09:13
  Speaker 1: Goes to table right center.
• 2:09:16
  Speaker 6: No, but it's frightfully strong.
• 2:09:20
  Speaker 1: Gives coup to vs. Who gives it to Lady Sylvia.
• 2:09:24
  Speaker 1: Vise to Lady Sylvia, are you afraid of your nerves?
• 2:09:29
  Speaker 1: Thank goodness, I don't know what nerves are sits left center.
• 2:09:35
  Speaker 2: Nor I nerves were made for slaves.
• 2:09:41
  Speaker 1: Vs. Sitting on chair left of table, right center and
• 2:09:45
  Speaker 1: taking cup of tea from Violet.
• 2:09:48
  Speaker 11: And make slaves of the people who own them. So
• 2:09:51
  Speaker 11: many persons are in a constant state of apprehension and fidget,
• 2:09:55
  Speaker 11: whereas the plain, simple rule of life.
• 2:09:57
  Speaker 1: Is the electric bell. There is a pause, puts cup
• 2:10:02
  Speaker 1: on table half a minute, rises, goes to door left
• 2:10:08
  Speaker 1: at back, opens it and stands listening.
• 2:10:12
  Speaker 5: If you are in a hurry to get home, Violet,
• 2:10:14
  Speaker 5: you can take my carriage and send it back for me.
• 2:10:17
  Speaker 2: Oh, thanks awfully.
• 2:10:20
  Speaker 1: Violet to Lord Robert, she was.
• 2:10:23
  Speaker 2: Speaking to me the same thing.
• 2:10:28
  Speaker 1: Vise shutting door quickly bowlby Lady Sylvia rises, My husband
• 2:10:37
  Speaker 1: goes left quickly. Yes that's right, pointing to door left
• 2:10:44
  Speaker 1: in there to Violet, who is.
• 2:10:47
  Speaker 11: Going right, No, no, this way, go with her.
• 2:10:51
  Speaker 1: Violet runs across to left.
• 2:10:54
  Speaker 11: Out to the light off presently, and when you hear
• 2:10:56
  Speaker 11: me cough, slip out and steal away quietly.
• 2:11:00
  Speaker 1: Exit Lady Sylvia and Violet door left, Lord Robert Center.
• 2:11:06
  Speaker 2: Shall I stop, No, you'll be putting your foot in.
• 2:11:10
  Speaker 1: It, all right, runs to door right half a minute,
• 2:11:17
  Speaker 1: turns back to table, takes up cup and piece of cake,
• 2:11:21
  Speaker 1: and exits quickly. Door right. Vice running to door right.
• 2:11:27
  Speaker 11: Here, I say, Bob, if you should see you, not
• 2:11:29
  Speaker 11: a word about the ladies, do you hear? Bob?
• 2:11:32
  Speaker 1: Exit door right, enter Missus Cropper door left at back,
• 2:11:38
  Speaker 1: followed by Bowlby and the Duke of Saint KITT's.
• 2:11:41
  Speaker 8: Yes, sir, please to walk in, sir, Oh, why shlly,
• 2:11:46
  Speaker 8: they're all gone.
• 2:11:48
  Speaker 3: All gone?
• 2:11:50
  Speaker 8: Who Mister wisaid company to Tasa, his brother and his
• 2:11:55
  Speaker 8: sister and two other ladies. But they must have left
• 2:11:58
  Speaker 8: without must saying of them. But perhaps mister Weiss is
• 2:12:01
  Speaker 8: here still.
• 2:12:03
  Speaker 1: Goes to door right. Duke to Bolby.
• 2:12:07
  Speaker 10: Didn't know Vice had a brother, She said his sister too. Hmm,
• 2:12:13
  Speaker 10: that's very probable. Bachelors in chambers generally have sisters.
• 2:12:22
  Speaker 1: Turns up stage, looking round room, goes slowly right at
• 2:12:26
  Speaker 1: back and comes down right Missus Cropper at door, right
• 2:12:31
  Speaker 1: to vis They're good sir, turning to bowlby.
• 2:12:36
  Speaker 8: Mister device will be with you directly, sir.
• 2:12:39
  Speaker 1: At table right center.
• 2:12:41
  Speaker 8: I'm sure the tea must be quite cold.
• 2:12:45
  Speaker 1: Feeling teapot, yes, that is I must make some fresh
• 2:12:51
  Speaker 1: exit with teapot, door left at back. Bolby stands at
• 2:12:55
  Speaker 1: writing table left, looking over illustrated papers and facing left.
• 2:13:02
  Speaker 1: The duke is down right. Angela opens cupboard doors softly
• 2:13:07
  Speaker 1: and peeps out. At this moment, the duke turns and
• 2:13:11
  Speaker 1: they see each other. She leaves the doors wide open
• 2:13:16
  Speaker 1: and goes up the ladder. The duke goes quickly up
• 2:13:19
  Speaker 1: to cupboard, stands for a moment looking up after her,
• 2:13:24
  Speaker 1: and then goes up the ladder. Ballby sees nothing of
• 2:13:27
  Speaker 1: all this. Enter missus cropper door left at back, with teapot,
• 2:13:32
  Speaker 1: which she puts on table right center. She sees the
• 2:13:36
  Speaker 1: cupboard doors open and shuts them, leaving the right one
• 2:13:41
  Speaker 1: a little open, and then exits door left at back,
• 2:13:46
  Speaker 1: Enter vs. Door right. Seeing the cupboard door a little open,
• 2:13:50
  Speaker 1: he goes softly upright, closes door gently, comes down to
• 2:13:55
  Speaker 1: door right, jumps and comes down heavily on his feet,
• 2:14:00
  Speaker 1: so as to make Bolby believe he has just entered
• 2:14:03
  Speaker 1: and goes center with outstretched hand as Bowlby turns, vis
• 2:14:10
  Speaker 1: affecting surprise.
• 2:14:12
  Speaker 11: Ah Boalby, I wondered who it was.
• 2:14:16
  Speaker 1: Bowlby is very cold and distant in manner, and does
• 2:14:20
  Speaker 1: not take Visu's hand, vis ignoring Bolby's manner.
• 2:14:25
  Speaker 11: The fog is very thick, isn't it.
• 2:14:29
  Speaker 3: Yes, the Duke was taking refuge in the tea shop below,
• 2:14:34
  Speaker 3: and that's how he met Saint Kitts.
• 2:14:37
  Speaker 1: What turning?
• 2:14:40
  Speaker 3: Why where has he got to?
• 2:14:43
  Speaker 11: Was he here?
• 2:14:44
  Speaker 3: Yes? He must have gone downstairs again.
• 2:14:48
  Speaker 11: There are some rather good looking girls in the shop.
• 2:14:51
  Speaker 1: Bolby sternly so much the better, eh, I mean?
• 2:14:57
  Speaker 3: He insisted on coming up. Hi couldn't get rid of him,
• 2:15:01
  Speaker 3: and I came here purposely to see you alone.
• 2:15:05
  Speaker 1: You'll excuse me, I know, looking at his watch, I've
• 2:15:10
  Speaker 1: got a most important engagement.
• 2:15:13
  Speaker 11: But if five minutes.
• 2:15:16
  Speaker 3: I won't keep you three, mister Weiss, I must ask
• 2:15:21
  Speaker 3: you to be good enough to discontinue your visits to
• 2:15:24
  Speaker 3: my house. What you will not, I hope, give rise
• 2:15:29
  Speaker 3: to any unnecessary scandal by compelling me to order my
• 2:15:33
  Speaker 3: servants not to admit you.
• 2:15:35
  Speaker 11: Who has been jabbering jabbering? Come what silly woman has
• 2:15:42
  Speaker 11: been filling your head with this nonsense?
• 2:15:45
  Speaker 3: No one has said a word, then, how I have
• 2:15:49
  Speaker 3: seen for myself for some time. I am not blind.
• 2:15:55
  Speaker 11: You're entirely mistaken. There is not the slightest pardon me.
• 2:16:01
  Speaker 11: I decline to discuss the matter. You will plainly understand
• 2:16:05
  Speaker 11: that our acquaintance ceases from to day.
• 2:16:09
  Speaker 1: Going vise quickly, wait a bit, Bolby stopping.
• 2:16:16
  Speaker 3: Nothing that you may say, you'd better listen.
• 2:16:20
  Speaker 11: It's for lady. We don't men your names. It's for
• 2:16:23
  Speaker 11: her sake, to show you how preposterously upset your suspicions are.
• 2:16:29
  Speaker 11: I may tell you that I'm going to be married,
• 2:16:33
  Speaker 11: Bolby surprised married?
• 2:16:37
  Speaker 1: You left center?
• 2:16:40
  Speaker 11: Surprising, isn't it right?
• 2:16:44
  Speaker 1: Center?
• 2:16:45
  Speaker 3: Is this true?
• 2:16:48
  Speaker 11: Perfectly?
• 2:16:49
  Speaker 3: Do I know the lady?
• 2:16:51
  Speaker 4: Oh?
• 2:16:52
  Speaker 11: Yes, she's miss Muir.
• 2:16:55
  Speaker 1: Bolby raising his voice in surprise, Miss Muir? These quickly,
• 2:17:02
  Speaker 1: don't shout the people below, will hear you?
• 2:17:06
  Speaker 11: I must found it why. She's a very charming girl.
• 2:17:12
  Speaker 3: Yes, and that's the reason I dear me.
• 2:17:17
  Speaker 1: Cross's right?
• 2:17:19
  Speaker 11: Well, are you sorry you spoke?
• 2:17:22
  Speaker 3: Of course? If if if I had known.
• 2:17:27
  Speaker 11: Never mind, we'll forget it. When should always excuse a husband,
• 2:17:32
  Speaker 11: I have invariably done.
• 2:17:33
  Speaker 3: So anyway, I recall my words and I.
• 2:17:38
  Speaker 1: That's all right, looks at his watch, goes up to
• 2:17:43
  Speaker 1: table right of door left at back and takes up
• 2:17:46
  Speaker 1: his hat and stick.
• 2:17:48
  Speaker 3: I see you're in a hurry, so I mustn't keep
• 2:17:51
  Speaker 3: you well.
• 2:17:52
  Speaker 11: I'm afraid I must be off. I got an appointment
• 2:17:54
  Speaker 11: at the club.
• 2:17:56
  Speaker 3: I don't know how you'll get there. If you don't mind,
• 2:17:59
  Speaker 3: I'll stop here and smoke a cigarette until it gets lighter.
• 2:18:03
  Speaker 1: Takes out cigarette case while standing down right center, facing audience, vs.
• 2:18:10
  Speaker 1: Drawing on his gloves.
• 2:18:12
  Speaker 11: Oh do by all means I'm sorry. My man is out,
• 2:18:15
  Speaker 11: But that woman will get you anything you want.
• 2:18:18
  Speaker 3: Thanks. I think she's bringing some tea.
• 2:18:22
  Speaker 1: V switches light off. The stage is quite dark.
• 2:18:26
  Speaker 3: I prefer tea too.
• 2:18:29
  Speaker 11: Hello, confound that light. That's the second time today.
• 2:18:34
  Speaker 3: Something wrong with the connection.
• 2:18:37
  Speaker 1: Vis up center.
• 2:18:39
  Speaker 11: Yes, I shall have to get a man to come
• 2:18:41
  Speaker 11: and see to it. Coughs, Stay where you are while
• 2:18:45
  Speaker 11: I find a candle.
• 2:18:48
  Speaker 1: Coughs. Lady Sylvia and Violet stealing softly from door left
• 2:18:55
  Speaker 1: and Lord Robert from door right.
• 2:18:58
  Speaker 3: If you want a match, I've got one.
• 2:19:01
  Speaker 11: No, no, don't strike it yet. Wait a bit. I
• 2:19:04
  Speaker 11: know there's a candle here somewhere, and I lay my
• 2:19:07
  Speaker 11: hand on it. In a second.
• 2:19:10
  Speaker 1: Coughs three times And to missus Cropper door left at
• 2:19:17
  Speaker 1: back with hot water jugs, why.
• 2:19:20
  Speaker 8: My goodness, may whatever's happened to.
• 2:19:22
  Speaker 1: The light vs? Quickly?
• 2:19:25
  Speaker 11: Don't touch it?
• 2:19:27
  Speaker 1: Missus? Cropper switches light on, puts jug on table by
• 2:19:31
  Speaker 1: door and exits down left at back. Lady Sylvia, Violet
• 2:19:37
  Speaker 1: and Lord Robert are discovered. The ladies are halfway up
• 2:19:41
  Speaker 1: stage left, and Lord Robert upstage right above table vs
• 2:19:48
  Speaker 1: is up center and Bowlby downright.
• 2:19:51
  Speaker 11: Tableau Sylvia and.
• 2:19:56
  Speaker 1: And crosses center. These fai in great surprise.
• 2:20:02
  Speaker 11: Why where in the world did you all spring from?
• 2:20:08
  Speaker 1: Laughs loudly aside to Lord Robert, laugh, damnit laugh, signals
• 2:20:16
  Speaker 1: to the ladies to laugh. They all laugh heartily, with
• 2:20:19
  Speaker 1: the exception of Bowlby.
• 2:20:23
  Speaker 5: Did we we did start a mis devise? No? Didn't we?
• 2:20:31
  Speaker 6: And mister Bulby too.
• 2:20:34
  Speaker 13: Goes to these, ah, by jove, yes we made them
• 2:20:42
  Speaker 13: both jump comes down right.
• 2:20:46
  Speaker 3: I don't think I see the joke.
• 2:20:49
  Speaker 5: Crosses left, My dear John, do you ever see a joke?
• 2:20:55
  Speaker 6: Sylvia? And I you know. We we were having tea downstairs,
• 2:21:00
  Speaker 6: and and Lord Robert came in.
• 2:21:04
  Speaker 1: Yes, I came in, Lady Sylvia, to vise.
• 2:21:10
  Speaker 5: And he said that you lived up here.
• 2:21:13
  Speaker 2: Yes, that's what I said. Wece lives up here. I said,
• 2:21:18
  Speaker 2: just like that, Wece lives up here. I knew you
• 2:21:21
  Speaker 2: were in out.
• 2:21:23
  Speaker 1: You mean crossays to Lord Robert out.
• 2:21:28
  Speaker 2: I mean I knew you were out.
• 2:21:31
  Speaker 6: And and he said, what a lork it would be
• 2:21:34
  Speaker 6: to make your servant give us tea, and then you'd
• 2:21:37
  Speaker 6: wonder who on earth had been in your rooms?
• 2:21:40
  Speaker 11: Laughs, these laughing, What a chap you are, Bob.
• 2:21:46
  Speaker 5: Yes, And in the middle of the festivities we heard
• 2:21:49
  Speaker 5: you coming in, and Lord Robert jumped up.
• 2:21:53
  Speaker 2: I did, by jove, I jumped up.
• 2:21:57
  Speaker 5: And said, let us all hide.
• 2:22:00
  Speaker 2: Yes, let's all hide. I said, just like that, let's
• 2:22:04
  Speaker 2: all hide.
• 2:22:06
  Speaker 6: So we scampered in there, and he skipped in there,
• 2:22:10
  Speaker 6: and oh, dear, I shall never forget your face. When
• 2:22:13
  Speaker 6: we caught you.
• 2:22:15
  Speaker 1: They all laugh loudly, except Bolby.
• 2:22:18
  Speaker 3: Are you coming home now? Sylvia?
• 2:22:21
  Speaker 5: In this fright will falk no, thank you. It's a
• 2:22:23
  Speaker 5: little clue. Risky.
• 2:22:26
  Speaker 3: You are not usually deterred by anything risky, Violet laughing.
• 2:22:32
  Speaker 6: Well, we've all come down like an avalanche on poor
• 2:22:35
  Speaker 6: mister Weiss, haven't.
• 2:22:36
  Speaker 1: We crosses right? Bolby crosses center right.
• 2:22:43
  Speaker 3: And now we are here, we must all offer him
• 2:22:46
  Speaker 3: our hearty congratulations. Congratulations down left on a happy event.
• 2:22:55
  Speaker 1: Watching the effect on Lady Sylvia.
• 2:22:58
  Speaker 3: Our friend mister has just told me that he and
• 2:23:03
  Speaker 3: miss Muir are engaged to be married.
• 2:23:07
  Speaker 1: Violet astounded, angela engaged Lady Sylvia under her breath. Oh
• 2:23:16
  Speaker 1: goes up left?
• 2:23:18
  Speaker 2: Why Vice, old Chap, I had no idea, Vise confused.
• 2:23:25
  Speaker 11: Yes, well, mister Bolby is a little premature, perhaps, but yes.
• 2:23:32
  Speaker 1: Bowlby crosses left. Lord Robert aside to Violet, I.
• 2:23:38
  Speaker 2: Say, by jove, this is rather a crusher for Lady Sylvia.
• 2:23:43
  Speaker 1: Violet aside to Lord Robert, I.
• 2:23:47
  Speaker 6: Hope to goodness she won't give herself away.
• 2:23:50
  Speaker 1: Lady Sylvia going to vice.
• 2:23:53
  Speaker 5: Mister Wise, I congratulate you most heartily, shaking hands. This
• 2:24:00
  Speaker 5: Mure is a sweet girl, and you have my best,
• 2:24:03
  Speaker 5: my very best wishes for your happiness.
• 2:24:07
  Speaker 1: This a little awkwardly, thanks, thanks very much. They look
• 2:24:13
  Speaker 1: each other steadily in the eyes for a moment, and
• 2:24:17
  Speaker 1: Lady Sylvia turns upstage. Violet aside to Lord Robert.
• 2:24:23
  Speaker 6: Bravo Sylvia.
• 2:24:26
  Speaker 1: Lord Robert aside.
• 2:24:27
  Speaker 2: To Violet by goad, she's splendid.
• 2:24:33
  Speaker 11: Well, now you all must stay and have tea. Finish tea,
• 2:24:36
  Speaker 11: I should say, since we disturbed you in the middle
• 2:24:39
  Speaker 11: of it, Lady.
• 2:24:40
  Speaker 1: Sylvia going to table right center, let me give you
• 2:24:45
  Speaker 1: another cub of thumping sound heard above cupboard.
• 2:24:50
  Speaker 2: What's that noise that?
• 2:24:53
  Speaker 11: Oh, it's I don't know, something next door.
• 2:24:57
  Speaker 1: The thumping continues.
• 2:25:00
  Speaker 3: How thin the walls are in these places vs.
• 2:25:04
  Speaker 1: Behind table facing audience.
• 2:25:07
  Speaker 11: Yes, Grape Lusence sometimes.
• 2:25:10
  Speaker 1: Pours out tea, coughing and sneezing.
• 2:25:12
  Speaker 2: Herd it's someone in that room.
• 2:25:17
  Speaker 11: It's not a room, it's a way to the roof.
• 2:25:20
  Speaker 1: Coughing and sneezing continues.
• 2:25:23
  Speaker 2: Hush, listen, I tell you it's someone in there.
• 2:25:28
  Speaker 1: Goes to cupboard doors.
• 2:25:31
  Speaker 11: Oh, I remember, now it's the workman.
• 2:25:35
  Speaker 1: Lord Robert pulls open cupboard doors before Vse can stop him.
• 2:25:40
  Speaker 1: Enter the Duke and Angela from cupboard. Their clothes are
• 2:25:44
  Speaker 1: covered with dirt and their faces streaked with black.
• 2:25:49
  Speaker 5: The Duke Miss Muir.
• 2:25:52
  Speaker 1: Duke coughing and wiping his face with his handkerchief.
• 2:25:57
  Speaker 10: We had such a time. We went up on the.
• 2:26:03
  Speaker 1: Roof Angela, gasping.
• 2:26:08
  Speaker 10: Among the chimneys, and that infernal trap doors lamed down.
• 2:26:17
  Speaker 7: And we pulled and ted for at least ten.
• 2:26:19
  Speaker 10: Minutes ten weeks, and what with the smoke and the fog.
• 2:26:28
  Speaker 7: We couldn't see the view. The Duke was so kind
• 2:26:31
  Speaker 7: he wanted me to see the view. He says, it's
• 2:26:34
  Speaker 7: quite lovely up there on a fine day.
• 2:26:36
  Speaker 1: Lady Sylvia coldly.
• 2:26:38
  Speaker 5: What a very unexpected meeting, isn't it? To Violet, I
• 2:26:44
  Speaker 5: thought you said Miss Muir was at Westminster Abbey.
• 2:26:48
  Speaker 1: Left Angela Center.
• 2:26:51
  Speaker 7: Oh, yes, you see, it was lost in the fog.
• 2:26:55
  Speaker 1: Lady Sylvia sarcastically, and wandered here over the truth, Duke
• 2:27:02
  Speaker 1: right of Angela, How did.
• 2:27:04
  Speaker 10: You come here, Sylvia?
• 2:27:08
  Speaker 1: By the tube, Violet aside to vise.
• 2:27:13
  Speaker 6: Was Angela here all the time? Yes, Angela, dear, this
• 2:27:19
  Speaker 6: is a surprise. We have just heard the most wonderful
• 2:27:22
  Speaker 6: news of your engagement to mister Wess.
• 2:27:25
  Speaker 7: My engagement to mister.
• 2:27:27
  Speaker 10: Wess vice, nothing of the sort. I am the happy
• 2:27:34
  Speaker 10: man you.
• 2:27:37
  Speaker 7: Yes, the Duke is so good. He has very kindly
• 2:27:42
  Speaker 7: asked me to be a duchess.
• 2:27:44
  Speaker 3: Bulbit left, but there has been some mistake.
• 2:27:51
  Speaker 10: Mistake.
• 2:27:53
  Speaker 1: To Angela, we mean it, don't we?
• 2:27:59
  Speaker 7: Oh yes, I'll to the others, I'm only a simple
• 2:28:03
  Speaker 7: girl with a great deal to learn. But I hope
• 2:28:07
  Speaker 7: I shall make a successful duchess, although as you know,
• 2:28:13
  Speaker 7: I've always lived in the
• 2:28:14
  Speaker 1: Country curtain end of Act three, End of a Country
• 2:28:21
  Speaker 1: Mouse by Arthur Law