four short plays-第1章
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Four Short Plays
by John Galsworthy
CONTENTS：
HALL…MARKED
DEFEAT
THE SUN
PUNCH AND GO
HALL…MARKED
A SATIRIC TRIFLE
CHARACTERS
HERSELF。
LADY ELLA。
THE SQUIRE。
THE MAID。
MAUD。
THE RECTOR。
THE DOCTOR。
THE CABMAN。
HANNIBAL and EDWARD
HALL…MARKED
The scene is the sitting…room and verandah of HER bungalow。
The room is pleasant； and along the back； where the verandah
runs； it seems all window； both French and casement。 There is a
door right and a door left。 The day is bright； the time
morning。
＇HERSELF； dripping wet； comes running along the verandah；
through the French window； with a wet Scotch terrier in her
arms。 She vanishes through the door left。 A little pause； and
LADY ELLA comes running； dry； thin； refined； and agitated。 She
halts where the tracks of water cease at the door left。 A
little pause； and MAUD comes running； fairly dry； stolid；
breathless； and dragging a bull…dog； wet； breathless； and stout；
by the crutch end of her 'en…tout…cas'＇。
LADY ELLA。 Don't bring Hannibal in till I know where she's put
Edward！
MAUD。 ＇Brutally； to HANNIBAL＇ Bad dog！ Bad dog！
＇HANNIBAL snuffles。＇
LADY ELLA。 Maud； do take him out！ Tie him up。 Here！ ＇She takes
out a lace handkerchief ＇ Nosomething stronger！ Poor darling
Edward！ ＇To HANNIBAL＇ You are a bad dog！
＇HANNIBAL snuffles。＇
MAUD。 Edward began it； Ella。 ＇To HANNIBAL＇ Bad dog！ Bad dog！
＇HANNIBAL snuffles。＇
LADY ELLA。 Tie him up outside。 Here； take my scarf。 Where is my
poor treasure？ ＇She removes her scarf＇ Catch！ His ear's torn； I
saw it。
MAUD。 ＇Taking the scarf； to HANNIBAL＇ Now！
＇HANNIBAL snuffles。＇
＇She ties the scarf to his collar＇
He smells horrible。 Bad doggetting into ponds to fight！
LADY ELLA。 Tie him up； Maud。 I must try in here。
＇Their husbands； THE SQUIRE and THE RECTOR； come hastening along
the verandah。＇
MAUD。 ＇To THE RECTOR＇ Smell him； Bertie！ ＇To THE SQUIRE＇ You
might have that pond drained； Squire！
＇She takes HANNIBAL out； and ties him to the verandah。 THE
SQUIRE and RECTOR Come in。 LADY ELLA is knocking on the door
left。＇
HER VOICE。 All right！ I've bound him up！
LADY ELLA。 May I come in？
HER VOICE。 Just a second！ I've got nothing on。
＇LADY ELLA recoils。 THE SQUIRE and RECTOR make an involuntary
movement of approach。＇
LADY ELLA。 Oh！ There you are！
THE RECTOR。 ＇Doubtfully＇ I was just going to wade in
LADY ELLA。 Hannibal would have killed him； if she hadn't rushed in！
THE SQUIRE。 Done him good； little beast！
LADY ELLA。 Why didn't you go in； Tommy？
THE SQUIRE。 Well； I wouldonly she
LADY ELLA。 I can't think how she got Edward out of Hannibal's awful
mouth！
MAUD。 ＇Withoutto HANNIBAL； who is snuffling on the verandah and
straining at the scarf＇ Bad dog！
LADY ELLA。 We must simply thank her tremendously！ I shall never
forget the way she ran in； with her skirts up to her waist！
THE SQUIRE。 By Jove！ No。 It was topping。
LADY ELLA。 Her clothes must be ruined。 That pondugh！ ＇She
wrinkles her nose＇ Tommy； do have it drained。
THE RECTOR。 ＇Dreamily＇ I don't remember her face in church。
THE SQUIRE。 Ah！ Yes。 Who is she？ Pretty woman！
LADY ELLA。 I must get the Vet。 to Edward。 ＇To THE SQUIRE＇ Tommy；
do exert yourself！
＇MAUD re…enters。＇
THE SQUIRE。 All right！ ＇Exerting himself＇ Here's a bell！
HER VOICE。 ＇Through the door＇ The bleeding's stopped。 Shall I send
him in to you？
LADY ELLA。 Oh； please！ Poor darling！
＇They listen。＇
＇LADY ELLA； prepares to receive EDWARD。 THE SQUIRE and RECTOR
stand transfixed。 The door opens； and a bare arm gently pushes
EDWARD forth。 He is bandaged with a smooth towel。 There is a
snuffleHANNIBAL has broken the scarf； outside。
LADY ELLA。 ＇Aghast＇ Look！ Hannibal's loose！ MaudTommy。 ＇To THE
RECTOR＇ You！
＇The THREE rush to prevent HANNIBAL from re…entering。＇
LADY ELLA。 ＇To EDWARD＇ Yes； I knowyou'd like to！ You SHALL bite
him when it's safe。 Oh！ my darling； you DO ＇She sniffs＇。
＇MAUD and THE SQUIRE re…enter。＇
Have you tied him properly this time？
MAUD。 With Bertie's braces。
LADY ELLA。 Oh！ but
MAUD。 It's all right； they're almost leather。
＇THE RECTOR re…enters； with a slight look of insecurity。＇
LADY ELLA。 Rector； are you sure it's safe？
THE RECTOR。 ＇Hitching at his trousers＇ No； indeed； LADY EllaI
LADY ELLA。 Tommy； do lend a hand！
THE SQUIRE。 All right； Ella； all right！ He doesn't mean what you
mean！
LADY ELLA。 ＇Transferring EDWARD to THE SQUIRE＇ Hold him； Tommy。
He's sure to smell out Hannibal！
THE SQUIRE。 ＇Taking EDWARD by the collar； and holding his own nose＇
Jove！ Clever if he can smell anything but himself。 Phew！ She ought
to have the Victoria Cross for goin' in that pond。
＇The door opens； and HERSELF appears； a fine； frank； handsome
woman； in a man's orange…coloured motor…coat； hastily thrown on
over the substrata of costume。＇
SHE。 So very sorryhad to have a bath； and change； of course！
LADY ELLA。 We're so awfully grateful to you。 It was splendid。
MAUD。 Quite。
THE RECTOR。 ＇Rather holding himself together＇ Heroic！ I was just
myself about to
THE SQUIRE。 ＇Restraining EDWARD＇ Little beast will fightmust
apologiseyou were too quick for me
＇He looks up at her。 She is smiling； and regarding the wounded
dog； her head benevolently on one side。＇
SHE。 Poor dears！ They thought they were so safe in that nice pond！
LADY ELLA。 Is he very badly torn？
SHE。 Rather nasty。 There ought to be a stitch or two put in his
ear。
LADY ELLA。 I thought so。 Tommy； do
THE SQUIRE。 All right。 Am I to let him go？
LADY ELLA。 No。
MAUD。 The fly's outside。 Bertie； run and tell Jarvis to drive in
for the Vet。
THE RECTOR。 ＇Gentle and embarrassed＇ Run？ Well； MaudI
SHE。 The doctor would sew it up。 My maid can go round。
＇HANNIBAL。 appears at the open casement with the broken braces
dangling from his collar。＇
LADY ELLA。 Look！ Catch him！ Rector！
MAUD。 Bertie！ Catch him！
＇THE RECTOR seizes HANNIBAL； but is seen to be in difficulties
with his garments。 HERSELF； who has gone out left； returns；
with a leather strop in one hand and a pair of braces in the
other。＇
SHE。 Take this strophe can't break that。 And would these be any
good to you？
＇SHE hands the braces to MAUD and goes out on to the verandah
and hastily away。 MAUD； transferring the braces to the RECTOR；
goes out； draws HANNIBAL from the casement window； and secures
him with the strap。 THE RECTOR sits suddenly with the braces in
his hands。 There is a moment's peace。＇
LADY ELLA。 Splendid； isn't she？ I do admire her。
THE SQUIRE。 She's all there。
THE RECTOR。 ＇Feelingly＇ Most kind。
＇He looks ruefully at the braces and at LADY ELLA。 A silence。
MAUD reappears at the door and stands gazing at the braces。＇
THE SQUIRE。 ＇Suddenly＇ Eh？
MAUD。 Yes。
THE SQUIRE。 ＇Looking at his wife＇ Ah！
LADY ELLA。 ＇Absorbed in EDWARD＇ Poor darling！
THE SQUIRE。 ＇Bluntly＇ Ella； the Rector wants to get up！
THE RECTOR。 ＇Gently＇ Perhapsjust for a moment
LADY ELLA。 Oh！ ＇She turns to the wall。＇
＇THE RECTOR； screened by his WIFE； retires on to the verandah to
adjust his garments。＇
THE SQUIRE。 ＇Meditating＇ So she's married！
LADY ELLA。 ＇Absorbed in EDWARD＇ Why？
THE SQUIRE。 Braces。
LADY ELLA。 Oh！ Yes。 We ought to ask them to dinner； Tommy。
THE SQUIRE。 Ah！ Yes。 Wonder who they are？
＇THE RECTOR and MAUD reappear。＇
THE RECTOR。 Really very good of her to lend her husband'sI was
erquite
MAUD。 That'll do； Bertie。
＇THEY see HER returning along the verandah； followed by a sandy；
red…faced gentleman in leather leggings； with a needle and
cotton in his hand。＇
HERSELF。 Caught the doctor just starting； So lucky！
LADY ELLA。 Oh！ Thank goodness！
DOCTOR。 How do； Lady Ella？ How do； Squire？ how do； Rector？ ＇To
MAUD＇ How de do？ This the beastie？ I see。 Quite！ Who'll hold him
for me？
LADY ELLA。 Oh！ I！
HERSELF。 D'you know； I think I'd better。 It's so dreadful when it's
your own； isn't it？ Shall we go in here； doctor？ Come along； pretty
boy！
＇She takes EDWARD； and they pass into the room； left。＇
LADY ELLA。 I dreaded it。 She is splendid！
THE SQUIRE。 Dogs take to her。 That's a sure sign。
THE RECTOR。 Little thingsone can always tell。
THE SQUIRE。 Something very attractive about herwhat！ Fine build
of woman。
MAUD。 I shall get hold of her for parish work。
THE RECTOR。 Ah！ Excellentexcellent！ Do！
THE SQUIRE。 Wonder if her husband shoots？ She seems
quite…erquite
LADY ELLA。 ＇Watching the door＇ Quite！ Altogether charming； one of
the nicest faces I ever saw。
＇THE DOCTOR comes out alone。＇
Oh！ Doctorhave you？ is it？
DOCTOR。 Right as rain！ She held him like an angelhe just licked
her； and never made a sound。
LADY ELLA。 Poor darling！ Can I
＇She signs toward the door。＇
DOCTOR。 Better leave 'em a minute。 She's moppin' 'im off。 ＇He
wrinkles his nose＇ Wonderful clever hands！
THE SQUIRE。 I saywho is she？
DOCTOR。 ＇Looking from face to face with a dubious and rather
quizzical expression＇ Who？ Wellthere you have me！ All I know is
she's a first…rate nursebeen helpin' me with a case in Ditch Lane。
Nice woman； toothorough good sort！ Quite an acquisition here。
H'm！ ＇Again that quizzical glance＇ Excuse me hurryin' offvery
late。 Good…bye； Rector。 Good…bye； Lady Ella。 Good…bye！
＇He goes。 A silence。＇
THE SQUIRE。 H'm！ I suppose we ought to be a bit careful。
＇JARVIS； flyman of the old school； has appeared on the
verandah。＇
JARVIS。 ＇To THE RECTOR＇ Beg pardon； sir。 Is the little dog all
right？
MAUD。 Yes。
JARVIS。 ＇Touching his hat＇ Seein' you've missed your train； m'm；
shall I wait； and take you 'ome again？
MAUD。 No。
JARVIS。 Cert'nly； m'm。 ＇He touches his hat with a circular gesture；
and is about to withdraw。＇
LADY ELLA。 Oh； Jarviswhat's the name of the people here？
JARVIS。 Challenger's the name I've driven 'em in； my lady。
THE SQUIRE。 Challenger？ Sounds like a hound。 What's he like？
JARVIS。 ＇Scratching his head＇ Wears a soft 'at； sir。
THE SQUIRE。 H'm！ Ah！
JARVIS。 Very nice gentleman； very nice lady。 'Elped me with my old
mare when she 'ad the 'ighsteria last weekcouldn't 'a' been kinder
if they'd 'a' been angels from 'eaven。 Wonderful fond o' dumb
animals； the two of 'em。 I don't pay no attention to gossip； meself。
MAUD。 Gossip？ What gossip？
JARVIS。 ＇Backing＇ Did I make use of the word； m'm？ You'll excuse
me； I'm sure。 There's always talk where there's newcomers。 I takes
people as I finds 'em。
THE RECTOR。 Yes； yes； Jarvisquitequite right！
JARVIS。 Yes； sir。 I'veI've got a 'abit that way at my time o'
