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Read Ebook: The Master of Mrs. Chilvers: An Improbable Comedy by Jerome Jerome K Jerome Klapka
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Ebook has 1063 lines and 26136 words, and 22 pages
IMAGINED BY
COPYRIGHT 1911 BY JEROME K. JEROME IN THE U.S.A.
THE FIRST ACT SCENE: Drawing-room, 91, Russell Square. TIME: 3 p.m.
THE SECOND ACT SCENE: Liberal Committee Room, East India Dock Road. TIME: 5 p.m.
THE THIRD ACT SCENE: The Town Hall, East Poplar. TIME: 10 p.m.
THE FOURTH ACT SCENE: Russell Square TIME: Midnight
THE CAST OF "THE MASTER OF MRS. CHILVERS"
AS IT WAS PRODUCED AT THE ROYALTY THEATRE, LONDON, ON APRIL 26TH, 1911, UNDER THE MANAGEMENT OF MESSRS. VEDRENNE & EADIE.
Lady Mogton MARY RORKE Annys Chilvers LENA ASHWELL Phoebe Mogton ETHEL DANE Janet Blake GILLIAN SCAIFE Mrs. Mountcalm Villiers SARAH BROOKE Elizabeth Spender AURIOL LEE Rose Merton ESME BERINGER Mrs. Chinn SYDNEY FAIRBROTHER Geoffrey Chilvers, M.P. DENNIS EADIE Dorian St. Herbert LEON QUARTERMAINE Ben Lamb, M.P. A. E. BENEDICT William Gordon EDMUND GWENN Sigsby MICHAEL SHERBROOKE Hake H. B. TABBERER Mr. Peekin GERALD MIRRIELEES Mr. Hopper STANLEY LOGAN Mrs. Peekin ROWENA JEROME Miss Borlasse CATHLEEN NESBITT Miss Ricketts HETTA BARTLETT
CHARACTERS IN THE PLAY
THE FIRST ACT
PHOEBE. Good woman. 'Tisn't three o'clock yet, is it?
ELIZABETH. About five minutes to.
PHOEBE. Annys is on her way. I just caught her in time. Put a table and six chairs. Give mamma a hammer and a cushion at her back.
HAKE. A hammer, miss?
PHOEBE. A chairman's hammer. Haven't you got one?
HAKE. I'm afraid not, miss. Would a gravy spoon do?
PHOEBE Fancy a house without a chairman's hammer! See that there's something. Did your wife go to the meeting last night?
HAKE I'm not quite sure, miss. I gave her the evening out.
PHOEBE. "Gave her the evening out"!
ELIZABETH. We are speaking of your wife, man, not your servant.
HAKE. Yes, miss. You see, we don't keep servants in our class. Somebody's got to put the children to bed.
ELIZABETH. Why not the man--occasionally?
HAKE. Well, you see, miss, in my case, I rarely getting home much before midnight, it would make it so late. Yesterday being my night off, things fitted in, so to speak. Will there be any writing, miss?
PHOEBE. Yes. See that there's plenty of blotting-paper. Mamma always splashes so.
HAKE. Yes, miss.
ELIZABETH. Did you ever hear anything more delightfully na?ve? He "gave" her the evening out. That's how they think of us--as their servants. The gentleman hasn't the courage to be straightforward about it. The butler blurts out the truth. Why are we meeting here instead of at our own place?
PHOEBE. For secrecy, I expect. Too many gasbags always about the office. I fancy--I'm not quite sure--that mamma's got a new idea.
ELIZABETH. Leading to Holloway?
PHOEBE. Well, most roads lead there.
ELIZABETH. And end there--so far as I can see.
PHOEBE. You're too impatient.
ELIZABETH. It's what our friends have been telling us--for the last fifty years.
PHOEBE. Look here, if it was only the usual sort of thing mamma wouldn't want it kept secret. I'm inclined to think it's a new departure altogether.
Good girl. Was afraid--I say, you're wet through.
JANET. It was only a shower. The 'buses were all full. I had to ride outside.
PHOEBE. Silly kid, why didn't you take a cab?
JANET. I've been reckoning it up. I've been half over London chasing Mrs. Mountcalm-Villiers. Cabs would have come, at the very least, to twelve-and-six.
PHOEBE. Well--
JANET Well--I want you to put me down as a contributor for twelve-and-six. It's the only way I can give.
PHOEBE. Have this put somewhere to dry. Get near the fire. You're as cold as ice.
ELIZABETH. All the seats inside, I suppose, occupied by the chivalrous sex.
JANET. Oh, there was one young fellow offered to give me up his place, but I wouldn't let him. You see, we're claiming equality.
ELIZABETH. And are being granted it--in every direction where it works to the convenience of man.
PHOEBE. Is she coming--the Villiers woman?
JANET. Yes. I ran her down at last--at her dress-maker's. She made an awful fuss about it, but I wouldn't leave till she'd promised. Tell me, it's something quite important, isn't it?
PHOEBE. I don't know anything, except that I had an urgent telegram from mamma this morning to call a meeting of the entire Council here at three o'clock. She's coming up from Manchester on purpose. Mrs. Chilvers hasn't returned yet, has she?
HAKE. Not yet, miss. Shall I telephone--
PHOEBE. No; it's all right. I have seen her. Let her know we are here the moment she comes in.
HAKE. Yes, miss.
PHOEBE. Why aren't you sure your wife wasn't at the meeting last night? Didn't she say anything?
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