The Complete Plays of J. M. Barrie - 30 Titles in One Edition. Джеймс Барри

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СКАЧАТЬ Modest! Yes, he is very modest is the Colonel! Gets quite riled, sir, when I praised him for his gallant action.

      (On to plank — curiously) Come here, sir, for another holiday?

      KIT. That depends!

      BEN. Going to stay long, sir?

      KIT. You are inquisitive, Ben!

      BEN. Yes, sir. Heard from any of the young ladies, sir, how they have been getting on here since you left?

      KIT (sharply). No!

      BEN. Thought not, sir, they have been that busy with the Colonel!

      KIT. Eh?

      BEN. He do have dizzy fits, sir, and needs to lean on the ladies.

      KIT. He has? Phew!

      BEN. Yes, sir, that’s what I think too!

      KIT. What?

      BEN. What you expressed just now in that whistle, sir.

      (KIT goes agitatedly to door of saloon and BEN speaks to himself.)

      He’s a deep one is that there Colonel — Colonel! — but I’m not the kind to split on them as pays up. (Aloud) Good night, Mr. Upjohn!

      (Exits along bank.)

      KIT (in bow). Good night. Confound Ben! he makes me quite uncomfortable. Though this Neil has saved her life, he can’t have carried her by storm in a week — impossible! Wonder if she told them the real reason why I went away? I fancy not! Hallo! I am smoking and Bell dislikes it! Never again! (Flings cigar into water and sighs.) After all, it is an objectionable habit!

      (Produces cigar case, and flings away another cigar — SIGHS.)

      Making a chimney of one’s nose! (Lights a cigar, SARAH wakes up, shivers, and wraps trousers round her neck and sleeps.)

      It will be no deprivation to me — none at all. (Takes cigar out of his mouth and looks at it.) How did this come about? (Flings it away and sighs.) Bell will be pleased. (Takes another cigar from case.) This is the last. (Makes as if to fling it away.) It — it seems to stick to my fingers! (Sound of singing in distance — rises and goes to bow.) I hear their voices! They are coming back! Bell is coming! (Looks from cigar to place whence singing comes.) Bell — cigar — cigar — Bell. (Falters, then flings cigar into river, tries to catch it, misses, groans.) It is nothing to give up smoking for the girl one loves!

      (The singing ceases and punt draws up, all ablaze with coloured lights and the hood is on.)

      W. G. Hallo! NANNY. You’ve come back?

      BELL (faintly). Mr. Upjohn!

      (Exclamations of surprise from all.)

      KIT. A surprise visit, Mrs. Golightly. I found I could take two days, and here I am!

      MRS. GOLIGHTLY. So glad to see you again!

      (W. G. gets out and goes at once to bank and begins to light up lanterns, KIT helps NANNY out, who goes into saloon.

      MRS. GOLIGHTLY remains outside, NANNY lights up inside, BELL gets out and talks to KIT in well. She then goes in saloon, JASPER and ANDREW still in punt tying up. Introduction of KIT. ANDREW goes on bank.)

      KIT (drawing BELL aside). Bell dear!

      BELL. Oh, why did you come?

      KIT. Didn’t you want me?

      BELL. Yes — no — why did you go away?

      KIT. You can’t mean —

      BELL. Not before them all! (Goes into saloon.)

      MRS. GOLIGHTLY (who has been speaking to JASPER while NANNY is with ANDREW). Mr. Upjohn, let me introduce you to Colonel Neil, who saved Bell’s life! (Goes into saloon.)

      JASPER. It was nothing!

      (JASPER and KIT shake hands.)

      KIT. It was a great deal. I seem to know your face, Colonel Neil, and yet I cannot remember —

      ANDREW. Upjohn, look here!

      (KIT goes to ANDREW.)

      JASPER. I have shaved him often!

      (Exit to bedroom.)

      NANNY. Auntie, I am dying to speak with you! Did you see how white she turned?

      MRS. GOLIGHTLY. Bell? I suppose she was surprised to see him!

      NANNY. Auntie, don’t you understand? They quarrelled, and he has come back to make it up!

      MRS. GOLIGHTLY. Bell is so secretive!

      NANNY. You saw how she ran away from him?

      MRS. GOLIGHTLY. Girls don’t run from the man they love!

      NANNY. Oh, don’t they? Sure, can’t he run after them?

      (Exit MRS. GOLIGHTLY and NANNY.)

      KIT. So that you are now a full-fledged medical man. I congratulate you, old fellow!

      ANDREW. Oh, I was always sure I should pass, hadn’t the least anxiety about it. Have a cigar? (Hands him case.)

      KIT. Thanks. (He is about to take it, but draws back.)

      No, I mean. I have given up smoking. It doesn’t agree with me.

      ANDREW. Ha! Heart? Liver? Pains here? (Taps KIT’S chest.) I’ll go over him tomorrow with the stethoscope.

      (Exits.)

      JASPER (with lighted candle in bedroom). I have not only shaved him — I have cut him!

      KIT (at bow). What can she mean? It cannot be that I am too late!

      BELL (at saloon). Oh, how is it that love and respect seem to be such different things!

      JASPER. This houseboat is getting too hot for me. I’ll pack and be ready to bolt. I would have bolted this afternoon but those two girls never took their eyes off me!

      BELL. Oh, that the Colonel had been content with sisterly regard!

      JASPER. She took me up wrong! I only proposed to be her brother! (Proceeds to pack.)

      BELL. But he loves me so!

      JASPER. But she was that keen about it!

      BELL. Kit — Kit!

      JASPER. СКАЧАТЬ