قراءة كتاب The Squire: An Original Comedy in Three Acts
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The Squire: An Original Comedy in Three Acts
THE SQUIRE
An Original Comedy in Three Acts
ARTHUR W. PINERO
Copyright, 1905
New York
SAMUEL FRENCH
PUBLISHER
Contents
THE SQUIRE.
Produced at the St. James's Theatre, London, on December 29th, 1881 with the following cast:--
Characters:
| The Rev. Paul Dormer | Mr. Hare |
| Lieutenant Thorndyke | Mr. Kendal |
| Gilbert Hythe | Mr. T. N. Wenraan |
| Gunnion | Mr. Macintosh |
| Izod Haggerston | Mr. T. W. Robertson |
| Fell | Mr. Martin |
| Robjohns, Junior | Mr. Brandon Thomas |
| The Representative of the "Pagley Mercury " | Mr. Steyne |
| Kate Verity | Mrs. Kendal |
| Christiana Haggerston | Miss Ada Murray |
| Felicity Gunnion | Miss Stella Brereton |
| Villagers. |
THE SQUIRE
ACT I. — THE SECRET.
Scene:—The exterior of a decayed, weatherbeaten, Elizabethan 'mansion, overgrown with ivy and autumn-tinted creeper. On the R., the lower part of a tower, square or circular. Facing the audience, about five feet from the ground, a door opening into the tower, the entrance proper to the house. This door leads out on to a stone terrace, which is run off the stage R., and which terminates R. C., in a few broken and irregular steps. At the foot of the steps, C., of stage, an old halting stone. Below the terrace, R., a wooden garden seat. On the R., of garden seat, a small rustic table, on which is a work-basket with materials for needlework. At back, up stage, the house runs from R., to L., In R., corner, a piece of broken stonework, almost concealed by ivy, forming a footing to gain a broad beam which runs about twelve feet from the ground, from R., to L., Above the beam, two substantial casement windows, R., c. and L., Below the beams, R., C., a window, and on the L. a large archway, with broken iron gates leaning against its walls. Through the archway, a bright view of farm lands, ricks, etc., etc. On the L., continuing the house wall, down the stage, an outhouse, suggesting a kitchen dairy; outside this, up stage L., a wooden bench with milk-pails, etc. Down stage, a door leading into outhouse. Above door, L., C., rough deal table and two chairs. The ground is flagged with broken stones, which are much overgrown with moss and weed.
(Bright Music at opening. Lights full up. At rise
of curtain, the bell rings in a discordant way.
Christiana Haggerston discovered L., scrubbing
a small wooden pail. Christiana is a handsome
dark woman with the tinge of the gipsy upon her
face.)
Chris. What is it? (puts pail on form L., goes
up into archway and looks off R.)
Izod. (offstage) Hullo! Christie!
Chris. Why, come in, Izod, darling—what's
wrong?
Izod. (R. off stage) It's the dog, he can't abide
me.
(Chris, hurls her scrubbing brush at the dog.)
Chris. (savagely) Lie down, you beast, (softly) Come along, Izod, dear! (comes down)
(Izod backs on as though afraid of dog. Izod
Haggerston enters through archway. He is a little
thin, dark fellow—half cad, half gipsy—with a
brown face, and crisp, curly, black hair. He is
dirty and disreputable, an idler and a sneak.)
(L. C.—putting her arms round his neck) I haven't
seen you for nearly a week, brother dear.
Izod. (C., shaking himself clear) All right, don't
maul, Christie. If the Squire was commonly civil
to a poor chap, you'd see a little more of me. I
want something to drink, and some coin for tobacco.
Chris. (standing by him and stroking his head) No luck, dearie?
Izod. Luck! No! The farmers won't look at
a fellow with a dark skin—curse 'em!
Chris. The brutes. (fondling him)
Izod. Well, don't maul, Christie. I'm dead dry.
Chris, (looking round) Wait here and I'll bring
you a drink, (she crosses to L.)
(She goes into outhouse L., Izod looks round
towards door R., C., with an evil expression. He then
deliberately takes off the coloured handkerchief
which he wears round his neck, unfolds it and
produces a bunch of bright keys.)
Izod. (jingling the keys and looking towards
door R., C., ) Keys! I wonder if keys are worth
anything. (slips keys into side pocket, and crosses
to door L., meeting Chris., who comes out with a
mug of milk. Snatching it from her) There's a
dear! (he puts mug to lips and takes it away quickly,
wiping his mouth with the back of his hand) Pah!
You're a good sort of a sister—milk!
Chris. I dursn't tap the ale without Squire's
orders—the new barrel isn't to be touched till the
Harvest Feast. Down with it—it's meat and drink.
Izod. Ugh! Here goes! Confound the Squire!
(he drinks, gives back mug and holds out hand for
coin. She puts mug on table) Coin for tobacco.
Chris. Don't spend your money on tobacco, darling.
Have a meal.
Izod. I had a meal yesterday, mid-day. (proudly) I earned two shillings in half-an-hour.
Chris. Good gracious! How?
Izod. (walking R., and back) I and old Mrs.
Thorndyke's gardener carried a sick woman on a litter
from Pagley Railway Station to the White Lion,
at Market-Sinfield. Oh, she was a weight! (sits R.
of L., table)
Chris. Carried a sick woman on a litter? (leans
against table L., of it)
Izod. The railway journey had upset her, and the
doctor said she was too ill to be shook up on the