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قراءة كتاب Seven Short Plays
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Seven Short Plays
By
Lady Gregory
G. P. Putnam’s Sons
New York and London
The Knickerbocker Press
1916
These plays have been copyrighted and published simultaneously in the United States and Great Britain.
All rights reserved, including that of translation into foreign languages.
All acting rights, both professional and amateur, are reserved in the United States, Great Britain, and all countries of the Copyright Union, by the author. Performances forbidden and right of presentation reserved.
Application for the right of performing these plays or reading them in public should be made to Samuel French, 28 West 38th St., New York City, or 26 South Hampton St., Strand, London.
Second Impression
The Knickerbocker Press, New York
DEDICATION
| To you, W. B. YEATS, good praiser, wholesome dispraiser, heavy-handed judge, open-handed helper of us all, I offer a play of my plays for every night of the week, because you like them, and because you have taught me my trade. |
| AUGUSTA GREGORY |
| Abbey Theatre, May 1, 1909. |
CONTENTS
| PAGE | |
| Spreading the News | 1 |
| Hyacinth Halvey | 29 |
| The Rising of the Moon | 75 |
| The Jackdaw | 93 |
| The Workhouse Ward | 137 |
| The Travelling Man | 155 |
| The Gaol Gate | 173 |
| Music for the Songs in the Plays | 189 |
| Notes, &c. | 196 |
SPREADING THE NEWS
Persons
Bartley Fallon.
Mrs. Fallon.
Jack Smith.
Shawn Early.
Tim Casey.
James Ryan.
Mrs. Tarpey.
Mrs. Tully.
A Policeman (Jo Muldoon).
A Removable Magistrate.
SPREADING THE NEWS
Scene: The outskirts of a Fair. An Apple Stall, Mrs. Tarpey sitting at it. Magistrate and Policeman enter.
Magistrate: So that is the Fair Green. Cattle and sheep and mud. No system. What a repulsive sight!
Policeman: That is so, indeed.
Magistrate: I suppose there is a good deal of disorder in this place?
Policeman: There is.
Magistrate: Common assault?
Policeman: It’s common enough.
Magistrate: Agrarian crime, no doubt?
Policeman: That is so.
Magistrate: Boycotting? Maiming of cattle? Firing into houses?
Policeman: There was one time, and there might be again.
Magistrate: That is bad. Does it go any farther than that?
Policeman: Far enough, indeed.
Magistrate: Homicide, then! This district has been shamefully neglected! I will change all that. When I was in the Andaman Islands, my system never failed. Yes, yes, I will change all that. What has that woman on her stall?
Policeman: Apples mostly—and sweets.
Magistrate: Just see if there are any unlicensed goods underneath—spirits or the like. We had evasions of the salt tax in the Andaman Islands.
Policeman: (Sniffing cautiously and upsetting a heap of apples.) I see no spirits here—or salt.
Magistrate: (To Mrs. Tarpey.) Do you know this town well, my good woman?
Mrs. Tarpey: (Holding out some apples.) A penny the half-dozen, your honour.
Policeman: (Shouting.) The gentleman is asking do you know the town! He’s the new magistrate!
Mrs. Tarpey: (Rising and ducking.) Do I know the town? I do, to be sure.
Magistrate: (Shouting.) What is its chief business?
Mrs. Tarpey: Business, is it? What business would the people here have but to be minding one another’s business?
Magistrate: I mean what trade have they?
Mrs. Tarpey: Not a trade. No trade at all but to be talking.
Magistrate: I shall learn nothing here.
(James Ryan comes in, pipe in mouth. Seeing Magistrate he retreats quickly, taking pipe from mouth.)
Magistrate: The smoke from that man’s pipe had a greenish look; he may be growing unlicensed tobacco at home. I wish I had brought my telescope to this district. Come to the post-office, I will telegraph for it. I found it very useful in the Andaman Islands.
(Magistrate and Policeman go out left.)
Mrs. Tarpey: Bad luck to Jo Muldoon, knocking my apples this way and that way. (Begins arranging them.) Showing off he was to the new magistrate.
(Enter Bartley Fallon and Mrs. Fallon.)
Bartley: Indeed