four short plays-第2章
按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
JARVIS。 Yes； sir。 I'veI've got a 'abit that way at my time o'
life。
MAUD。 ＇Sharply＇ How long have they been here； Jarvis？
JARVIS。 Well…era matter of three weeks； m'm。
＇A slight involuntary stir。＇
＇Apologetic＇ Of course； in my profession I can't afford to take
notice of whether there's the trifle of a ring between 'em； as the
sayin' is。 'Tisn't 'ardly my business like。
＇A silence。＇
LADY ELLA。 ＇Suddenly＇ Erthank you； Jarvis； you needn't wait。
JARVIS。 No； m'lady。 Your service； sirservice； m'm。
＇He goes。 A silence。＇
THE SQUIRE。 ＇Drawing a little closer＇ Three weeks？ I sayer
wasn't。 there a book？
THE RECTOR。 ＇Abstracted＇ Three weeks I certainly haven't seen
them in church。
MAUD。 A trifle of a ring！
LADY ELLA。 ＇Impulsively＇ Oh； bother！ I'm sure she's all right。
And if she isn't； I don't care。 She's been much too splendid。
THE SQUIRE。 Must think of the village。 Didn't quite like the
doctor's way of puttin' us off。
LADY ELLA。 The poor darling owes his life to her。
THE SQUIRE。 H'm！ Dash it！ Yes！ Can't forget the way she ran into
that stinkin' pond。
MAUD。 Had she a wedding…ring on？
＇They look at each other； but no one knows。＇
LADY ELLA。 Well； I'm not going to be ungrateful。
THE SQUIRE。 It'd be dashed awkwardmustn't take a false step； Ella。
THE RECTOR。 And I've got his braces！ ＇He puts his hand to his
waist。＇
MAUD。 ＇Warningly＇ Bertie！
THE SQUIRE。 That's all right； Rectorwe're goin' to be perfectly
polite； andandthank her； and all that。
LADY ELLA。 We can see she's a good sort。 What does it matter？
MAUD。 My dear Ella！ 〃What does it matter！〃 We've got to know。
THE RECTOR。 We do want light。
THE SQUIRE。 I'll ring the bell。 ＇He rings。＇
＇They look at each other aghast。＇
LADY ELLA。 What did you ring for； Tommy？
THE SQUIRE。 ＇Flabbergasted＇ God knows！
MAUD。 Somebody'll come。
THE SQUIRE。 Rectoryouyou've got to
MAUD。 Yes； Bertie。
THE RECTOR。 Dear me！ Buterwhater How？
THE SQUIRE。 ＇Deeply…to himself＇ The whole thing's damn delicate。
＇The door right is opened and a MAID appears。 She is a
determined…looking female。 They face her in silence。＇
THE RECTOR。 Ereryour master is not in？
THE MAID。 No。 'E's gone up to London。
THE RECTOR。 Er Mr Challenger； I think？
THE MAID。 Yes。
THE RECTOR。 Yes！ Er quite so
THE MAID。 ＇Eyeing them＇ D'you wantMrs Challenger？
THE RECTOR。 Ah！ Not precisely
THE SQUIRE。 ＇To him in a low； determined voice＇ Go on。
THE RECTOR。 ＇Desperately＇ I asked because there was aaMr。
Challenger I used to know in the 'nineties； and I thoughtyou
wouldn't happen to know how long they've been married？ My friend
marr
THE MAID。 Three weeks。
THE RECTOR。 Quite soquite so！ I shall hope it will turn out to
be Erthank youHa！
LADY ELLA。 Our dog has been fighting with the Rector's； and Mrs
Challenger rescued him； she's bathing his ear。 We're waiting to
thank her。 You needn't
THE MAID。 ＇Eyeing them＇ No。
＇She turns and goes out。＇
THE SQUIRE。 Phew！ What a gorgon！ I say； Rector； did you really
know a Challenger in the 'nineties？
THE RECTOR。 ＇Wiping his brow＇ No。
THE SQUIRE。 Ha！ Jolly good！
LADY ELLA。 Well； you see！it's all right。
THE RECTOR。 Yes； indeed。 A great relief！
LADY ELLA。 ＇Moving to the door＇ I must go in now。
THE SQUIRE。 Hold on！ You goin' to ask 'em totoanything？
LADY ELLA。 Yes。
MAUD。 I shouldn't。
LADY ELLA。 Why not？ We all like the look of her。
THE RECTOR。 I think we should punish ourselves for entertaining that
uncharitable thought。
LADY ELLA。 Yes。 It's horrible not having the courage to take people
as they are。
THE SQUIRE。 As they are？ H'm！ How can you till you know？
LADY ELLA。 Trust our instincts； of course。
THE SQUIRE。 And supposing she'd turned out not marriedeh！
LADY ELLA！ She'd still be herself； wouldn't she？
MAUD。 Ella！
THE SQUIRE。 H'm！ Don't know about that。
LADY ELLA。 Of course she would； Tommy。
THE RECTOR。 ＇His hand stealing to his waist＇ Well！ It's a great
weight off my！
LADY ELLA。 There's the poor darling snuffling。 I must go in。
＇She knocks on the door。 It is opened； and EDWARD comes out
briskly； with a neat little white pointed ear…cap on one ear。＇
LADY ELLA。 Precious！
＇SHE HERSELF Comes out； now properly dressed in flax…blue
linen。＇
LADY ELLA。 How perfectly sweet of you to make him that！
SHE。 He's such a dear。 And the other poor dog？
MAUD。 Quite safe； thanks to your strop。
＇HANNIBAL appears at the window； with the broken strop dangling。
Following her gaze； they turn and see him。＇
MAUD。 Oh！ There； he's broken it。 Bertie！
SHE。 Let me！ ＇She seizes HANNIBAL。＇
THE SQUIRE。 We're really most tremendously obliged to you。 Afraid
we've been an awful nuisance。
SHE。 Not a bit。 I love dogs。
THE SQUIRE。 Hope to make the acquaintance of Mr of your husband。
LADY ELLA。 ＇To EDWARD； who is straining＇
＇Gently； darling！ Tommy； take him。＇
＇THE SQUIRE does so。＇
MAUD。 ＇Approaching HANNIBAL。＇ Is he behaving？
＇She stops short； and her face suddenly shoots forward at HER
hands that are holding HANNIBAL'S neck。＇
SHE。 Oh！ yeshe's a love。
MAUD。 ＇Regaining her upright position； and pursing her lips； in a
peculiar voice＇ Bertie； take Hannibal。
THE RECTOR takes him。
LADY ELLA。 ＇Producing a card＇ I can't be too grateful for all
you've done for my poor darling。 This is where we live。 Do come
and see
＇MAUD； whose eyes have never left those hands； tweaks LADY
ELLA's dress。＇
LADY ELLA。 That isI'mI
＇HERSELF looks at LADY ELLA in surprise。＇
THE SQUIRE。 I don't know if your husband shoots； but if
＇MAUD； catching his eye； taps the third finger of her left
hand。＇
erhedoeserer
＇HERSELF looks at THE SQUIRE surprised。＇
MAUD。 ＇Turning to her husband； repeats the gesture with the low and
simple word＇ Look！
THE RECTOR。 ＇With round eyes； severely＇ Hannibal！ ＇He lifts him
bodily and carries him away。＇
MAUD。 Don't squeeze him； Bertie！
＇She follows through the French window。＇
THE SQUIRE。 ＇Abruptlyof the unoffending EDWARD＇ That dog'll be
forgettin' himself in a minute。
＇He picks up EDWARD and takes him out。＇
＇LADY ELLA is left staring。＇
LADY ELLA。 ＇At last＇ You mustn't think； IYou mustn't think； we
Oh！ I must just see theydon't let Edward get at Hannibal。
＇She skims away。＇
＇HERSELF is left staring after LADY ELLA； in surprise。＇
SHE。 What is the matter with them？
＇The door is opened。＇
THE MAID。 ＇Entering and holding out a wedding…ringseverely＇ You
left this； m'm； in the bathroom。
SHE。 ＇Looking； startled； at her finger＇ Oh！ ＇Taking it＇ I hadn't
missed it。 Thank you； Martha。
＇THE MAID goes。＇
＇A hand； slipping in at the casement window； softly lays a pair
of braces on the windowsill。 SHE looks at the braces； then at
the ring。 HER lip curls。＇
Sue。 ＇Murmuring deeply＇ Ah！
CURTAIN
DEFEAT
A TINY DRAMA
CHARACTERS
THE OFFICER。
THE GIRL。
DEFEAT
During the Great War。 Evening。
An empty room。 The curtains drawn and gas turned low。 The
furniture and walls give a colour…impression as of greens and
beetroot。 There is a prevalence of plush。 A fireplace on the
Left； a sofa； a small table； the curtained window is at the
back。 On the table； in a common pot； stands a little plant of
maidenhair fern； fresh and green。
Enter from the door on the Right； a GIRL and a YOUNG OFFICER in
khaki。 The GIRL wears a discreet dark dress； hat； and veil； and
stained yellow gloves。 The YOUNG OFFICER is tall； with a fresh
open face； and kindly eager blue eyes； he is a little lame。 The
GIRL； who is evidently at home； moves towards the gas jet to
turn it up； then changes her mind； and going to the curtains；
draws them apart and throws up the window。 Bright moonlight
comes flooding in。 Outside are seen the trees of a little
Square。 She stands gazing out； suddenly turns inward with a
shiver。
YOUNG OFF。 I say； what's the matter？ You were crying when I spoke
to you。
GIRL。 ＇With a movement of recovery＇ Oh！ nothing。 The beautiful
evening…that's all。
YOUNG OFF。 ＇Looking at her＇ Cheer up！
GIRL。 ＇Taking of hat and veil； her hair is yellowish and crinkly＇
Cheer up！ You are not lonelee； like me。
YOUNG OFF。 ＇Limping to the windowdoubtfully＇ I say； how did you
how did you get into this？ Isn't it an awfully hopeless sort of
life？
GIRL。 Yees； it ees。 You haf been wounded？
YOUNG OFF。 Just out of hospital to…day。
GIRL。 The horrible warall the misery is because of the war。 When
will it end？
YOUNG OFF。 ＇Leaning against the window…sill； looking at her
attentively＇ I say； what nationality are you？
GIRL。 ＇With a quick look and away＇ Rooshian。
YOUNG OFF。 Really！ I never met a Russian girl。 ＇The GIRL gives him
another quick look＇ I say； is it as bad as they make out？
GIRL。 ＇Slipping her hand through his arm＇ Not when I haf anyone as
ni…ice as you； I never haf had； though。 ＇She smiles； and her smile；
like her speech； is slow and confining＇ You stopped because I was
sad； others stop because I am gay。 I am not fond of men at all。
When you knowyou are not fond of them。
YOUNG OFF。 Well； you hardly know them at their best； do you？ You
should see them in the trenches。 By George！ They're simply
splendidofficers and men； every blessed soul。 There's never been
anything like itjust one long bit of jolly fine self…sacrifice；
it's perfectly amazing。
GIRL。 ＇Turning her blue…grey eyes on him＇ I expect you are not the
last at that。 You see in them what you haf in yourself； I think。
YOUNG OFF。 Oh； not a bit； you're quite out！ I assure you when we
made the attack where I got wounded there wasn't a single man in my
regiment who wasn't an absolute hero。 The way they went innever
thinking of themselvesit was simply ripping。
GIRL。 ＇In a queer voice＇ It is the same too； perhaps； withthe
enemy。
YOUNG OFF。 Oh； yes！ I know that。
GIRL。 Ah！ You are not a mean man。 How I hate mean men！
YOUNG OFF。 Oh！ they're not mean reallythey simply don't
understand。
GIRL。 Oh！ You are a babeea good babee aren't you？
＇The YOUNG OFFICER doesn't like this； and frowns。 The GIRL
looks a little scared。＇
GIRL。 ＇Clingingly＇ But I li…ke you for it。 It is so good to find a
ni…ice man。
YOUNG OFF。 ＇Abruptly＇ About being lonely？ Haven't you any Russian
friends？
GIRL。 ＇Blankly＇ Rooshian？ No。 ＇Quickly＇ The town is so beeg。
Were you at the concert before you spoke to me？
YOUNG OFF。 Yes。
GIRL。 I too。 I lofe music。
YOUNG OFF。 I suppose all Russians do。
GIRL。 ＇With another quick look tat him＇ I go there always when I
haf the money。
YOUNG OFF。 What！ Are you as badly on the rocks as that？
GIRL。 Well
