Genre Drama. Page - 2
[Turning apologetically to VERA] I beg your pardon, Miss Andrews, I mean Miss--er----
VERA Revendal.
MENDEL [Slightly more interested] Revendal? Then you must be the Miss Revendal David told me about!
VERA [Blushing] Why, he has only seen me once--the time he played at our Roof-Garden Concert.
MENDEL Yes, but he was so impressed by the way you handled those new immigrants--the Spirit of the Settlement, he called you.
VERA [Modestly] Ah, no--Miss Andrews is that. And you will tell him to answer her letter at once, won't you, because there's only a week now to our Concert. [A gust of wind shakes the windows. She smiles.] Naturally it will not be on the Roof Garden.
MENDEL [Half to himself] Fancy David not saying a word about it to me! Are you sure the letter was mailed?
VERA I mailed it myself--a week ago. And even in New York---- [She smiles. Re-enter KATHLEEN with the recovered candlestick.]
of worth, it would prove a great disgrace to so honourable and stately a history. Great folly were it in me to commend unto your wisdoms either the eloquence of the author that writ them or the worthiness of the matter itself. I therefore leave unto your learned censures<4> both the one and the other, and myself the poor printer of them unto your most courteous and favourable protection; which if you vouchsafe to accept, you shall evermore bind me to employ what travail and service I can to the advancing and pleasuring of your excellent degree. Yours, most humble at commandment, R[ichard] J[ones], printer.
THE FIRST PART OF TAMBURLAINE THE GREAT.
THE PROLOGUE.
From jigging veins of rhyming mother-wits, And such conceits as clownage keeps in pay, We'll lead you to the stately tent of war, Where you shall hear the Scythian Tamburlaine Threatening the world with high astounding terms, And scourging kingdoms with his conquering sword. View but his picture in this tragic glass,
ould never please a high-born child like you.
THE CHILD.
Old mother, my old mother, the green dawn
Brightens above while you blow up the fire;
And evening finds you spreading the white cloth.
The young may lie in bed and dream and hope,
But you work on because your heart is old.
BRIDGET BRUIN.
The young are idle.
THE CHILD.
Old father, you are wise,
And all the years have gathered in your heart
To whisper of the wonders that are gone.
The young must sigh through many a dream and hope,
But you are wise because your heart is old.
MAURTEEN BRUIN.
O, who would think to find so young a child
Loving old age and wisdom.
[BRIDGET gives her more bread and honey.
THE CHILD.
No more, mother.
MAURTEEN BRUIN.
What a small bite; The milk is ready now;
What a small sip!
THE CHILD.
gt; me of all ambiguities, Perform what desperate enterprise I will? I'll have them fly to India for gold, Ransack the ocean for orient pearl, And search all corners of the new-found world For pleasant fruits and princely delicates; I'll have them read me strange philosophy, And tell the secrets of all foreign kings; I'll have them wall all Germany with brass, And make swift Rhine circle fair Wertenberg; I'll have them fill the public schools with silk,<27> Wherewith the students shall be bravely clad; I'll levy soldiers with the coin they bring, And chase the Prince of Parma from our land, And reign sole king of all the<28> provinces; Yea, stranger engines for the brunt of war, Than was the fiery keel at Antwerp's bridge,<29> I'll make my servile spirits to invent.
Enter VALDES and CORNELIUS.
Come, German Valdes, and Cornelius, And make me blest with your sage conference. Valdes, sweet Valdes, and Cornelius, Know that your words have won me at the last To practice magic and co
he is smoking a cigarette.
LADY A. I've told the Dancys--she was in bed. And I got through toNewmarket, Charles, and Inspector Dede is coming like the wind on a motorcycle.
MARGARET. Did he say "like the wind," Adela? He must have imagination.Isn't this gorgeous? Poor little Ferdy!
WINSOR. [Vexed] You might take it seriously, Margaret; it's prettybeastly for us all. What time did you come up?
MARGARET. I came up with Adela. Am I suspected, Charles? Howthrilling!
WINSOR. Did you hear anything?
MARGARET. Only little Ferdy splashing.
WINSOR. And saw nothing?
MARGARET. Not even that, alas!
LADY A. [With a finger held up] Leste! Un peu leste! Oh! Here are theDancys. Come in, you two!
MABEL and RONALD DANCY enter. She is a pretty young woman withbobbed hair, fortunately, for she has just got out of bed, and is inher nightgown and a wrapper. DANCY is in his smoking jacket. Hehas a pale, determined face with high cheekbones, small, deep
else, why are you a priest, and why do you wear long hair and a cassock?
PRIEST. But we are not asked ...
ALEXÁNDRA IVÁNOVNA. Not asked, indeed! Why, I am asking you! He told me yesterday that the Gospels say, "Give to him that asketh of thee." But then in what sense is that meant?
PRIEST. In its plain sense, I suppose.
ALEXÁNDRA IVÁNOVNA. And I think not in the plain sense; we have always been taught that everybody's position is appointed by God.
PRIEST. Of course, but yet ...
ALEXÁNDRA IVÁNOVNA. Oh, yes. It's just as I was told; you take his side, and that is wrong! I say so straight out. If some young school teacher, or some young lad, lickspittles to him, it's bad enough--but you, in your position, should remember the responsibility that rests on you.
PRIEST. I try to ...
ALEXÁNDRA IVÁNOVNA. What sort of religion is it, when he does not go to church, and does not believe in the s
eacon heartily.
Bobby wavered toward the door, emerged on the porch, and ran almost uponDi returning from her tea-party at Jenny Plow's.
"Oh, Bobby! You came to see me?"
She was as fluffy, as curly, as smiling as her picture. She was carryingpink, gauzy favours and a spear of flowers. Undeniably in her voicethere was pleasure. Her glance was startled but already complacent. Shepaused on the steps, a lovely figure.
But one would say that nothing but the truth dwelt in Bobby.
"Oh, hullo," said he. "No. I came to see your father."
He marched by her. His hair stuck up at the back. His coat was hunchedabout his shoulders. His insufficient nose, abundant, loose-lipped mouthand brown eyes were completely expressionless. He marched by her withouta glance.
She flushed with vexation. Mr. Deacon, as one would expect, laughedloudly, took the situation in his elephantine grasp and pawed at it.
"Mamma! Mamma! What do you s'pose? Di thought she had a beau----"
"Oh, papa!" said Di. "Why, I
d before him.
BARABAS. So that of thus much that return was made;And of the third part of the Persian shipsThere was the venture summ'd and satisfied.As for those Samnites,<17> and the men of Uz,That bought my Spanish oils and wines of Greece,Here have I purs'd their paltry silverlings.<18>Fie, what a trouble 'tis to count this trash!Well fare the Arabians, who so richly payThe things they traffic for with wedge of gold,Whereof a man may easily in a dayTell<19> that which may maintain him all his life.The needy groom, that never finger'd groat,Would make a miracle of thus much coin;But he whose steel-barr'd coffers are cramm'd full,And all his life-time hath been tired,Wearying his fingers' ends with telling it,Would in his age be loath to labour so,And for a pound to sweat himself to death.Give me the merchants of the Indian mines,That trade in metal of the purest mould;The wealthy Moor, that in the eastern rocksWithout control can pick his riches up,And in his hous
mour.] -- If it is, when we're wedded in a shortwhile you'll have no call to complain, for I've little will to be walking offto wakes or weddings in the darkness of the night.
PEGEEN -- [with rather scornful good humour.] -- You're making mighty certain,Shaneen, that I'll wed you now.
SHAWN. Aren't we after making a good bargain, the way we're only waitingthese days on Father Reilly's dispensation from the bishops, or the Court ofRome.
PEGEEN -- [looking at him teasingly, washing up at dresser.] -- It's a wonder,Shaneen, the Holy Father'd be taking notice of the likes of you; for if I washim I wouldn't bother with this place where you'll meet none but Red Linahan,has a squint in his eye, and Patcheen is lame in his heel, or the madMulrannies were driven from California and they lost in their wits. We're aqueer lot these times to go troubling the Holy Father on his sacred seat.
SHAWN -- [scandalized.] If we are, we're as good this place as another,maybe, and as good these times as we
g, comfortless
And haunted! Ah, my side, my brow And temples! All with changeful pain My body rocketh, and would fain Move to the tune of tears that flow: For tears are music too, and keep A song unheard in hearts that weep. [She rises and gazes towards the Greek ships far off on the shore.
O ships, O crowding faces Of ships[9], O hurrying beat Of oars as of crawling feet, How found ye our holy places? Threading the narrows through, Out from the gulfs of the Greek, Out to the clear dark blue, With hate ye came and with joy, And the noise of your music flew, Clarion and pipe did shriek, As the coilèd cords ye threw, Held in the heart of Troy!
What sought ye then that ye came? A woman, a thing abhorred: A King's wife that her lord Hateth: and Castor's[10] shame Is hot for her sake, and the reeds Of old Eurôtas stir With the noise of the name of her. She slew mine ancient King, The Sower of fifty Seeds[11], And cast forth mine and me, As shipwrecked men, that cling To a