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

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СКАЧАТЬ are bowed, PAUL looks up and his eyes fall on MRS. OMMANEY. Horror, entreaty and other feelings have been sweeping over her face, but as he sees her and is astounded, relentless purpose is in his eyes. His look begs for mercy but she looks implacable, her meaning being to expose him. As the prayer ends, the line of servants comes nearer, concealing MRS. OMMANEY from PAUL and the guests but not from the audience, who see that she is nearly fainting from excitement.)

      MR. GIBSON. Paul Digby and Margaret Fairbairn, it cannot be that you have come here lightly to assume the sacred obligations of husband and wife. Nevertheless I do call upon you even now, if any impediment there be, to speak out and stay my hand.

      (Pause in which MRS. OMMANEY’S arms are outstretched as if in appeal to PAUL.)

      You will now join hands.

      (They do so.)

      MR GIBSON. Paul Digby, do you take this woman, Margaret Fairbairn, to be your married wife, and do you promise and covenant before these witnesses to be a loving and faithful husband to her until you shall be separated by death?

      PAUL (after a pause in which all eyes turn upon him in surprise). I do.

      (MRS. OMMANEY, still hidden by the servants, is trying to speak, but cannot.)

      MR GIBSON. Margaret Fairbairn, do you take this man, Paul Digby, to be your married husband, and do you promise and covenant before these witnesses to be a loving and faithful wife to him until you shall be separated by death?

      MARGARET (TREMULOUSLY). I do.

      (Pause, PAUL seems bewildered.)

      ARMITAGE (in whisper). The ring.

      (PAUL puts ring on MARGARET’S finger, MRS. OMMANEY faints and is caught by a servant. The slight disturbance turns all eyes in that direction, but as MRS. OMMANEY is behind line of servants it is only seen that someone is being helped out. MR. GIBSON stops and looks round.)

      MRS. TEVIOT. One of the servants fainted, I think.

      SEVERAL GUESTS. A servant — one of the servants fainted —

      A SERVANT.

      MR GIBSON. I do now declare you to be husband and wife, and may all blessings fall upon you and may you look for strength to meet sorrow when it comes, as come it must, and may you be long-suffering and forbearing, each one with the shortcomings of the other. And may grace abide with us always.

      (There is a pause, then a hubbub of voices as the guests gather round the couple, congratulating, shaking hands, kissing, etc. The stage is full of animation owing to this; PAUL is like one dazed, but controls his agitation, MR.

      GIBSON, who has gone to table where there is ink and pen, signs to him to come, PAUL goes and MR. GIBSON puts pen into his hand, PAUL signs like one in a dream — the air is full of congratulations, etc.)

      LADY JANET (kissing MARGARET). God bless you, Mrs. Digby.

      MR. GIBSON. Not so fast! She is not Mrs. Digby until she has signed this paper. Sign, Margaret Fairbairn.

      (MARGARET does so.)

      There is no Margaret Fairbairn now!

      (More laughing and kissing and handshaking.)

      MARGARET (as the butler is passing). Meikle, which of the servants was it that fainted?

      MEIKLE. It was that lady, Mrs. Ommaney.

      MARGARET. Poor thing. Is she still here?

      MEIKLE. No, ma’am, she recovered and went away on foot.

      PAUL (IN AGITATION). Where has she gone?

      MEIKLE. I don’t know, sir.

      (HURRAHING IS HEARD OUTSIDE.)

      MR FAIRBAIRN (KISSING MARGARET). Margaret, the carriage is at the door. Remember, always look on the bright side.

      MARGARET (LOOKING AT PAUL). It will be so easy!

      MR GIBSON. For better, for worse, Margaret, for richer, for poorer!

      MR. FAIRBAIRN. And NOT A cloud in THE SKY!

      (PAUL and MARGARET are going toward door, the guests making a lane for them, ARMITAGE and MEIKLE bring rice and slippers. Exeunt the pair amid showers of rice and slippers.)

      Act II

       Table of Contents

      SCENE: Mrs. Ommaney’s lodgings at the Pans. The interior is humble, but there is a picturesque view through the window of sea and rocks. There is a bedroom door, and when this is open, part of the bedroom is disclosed.

      (CURTAIN RISES ON jenny geddes, AGED 14, WHO IS NURSING A BABY.)

      JENNY (MOVING ABOUT). Hush-a-bye! Oh, you English baby, will you never sleep? It’s your time, I tell you. Look at the clock if you dinna believe me.

      (The clock shows the time to be about 5 p m.)

      N’yum, n’yum! N’yum, n’yum! (PUTS HER ON SOFA.) I believe you understand every word I say to you. This is a chair, and that there’s the window and the beautiful thing outside the window is the world. And this is the beautifullest lodgings in the Pans and I’m your beautiful nurse. Baby Ommaney is your name, England is your nation, And you ‘re lodging this week with my mama In her beautiful habitation. Baby, I just hates you for no sleeping. (KISSING HER) I hates you, I hates you! You bonny, will you sleep if I put you in your bed?

      (Knock is heard. She runs to window.)

      Oh, baby! A carriage and pair!

      (Exit into bedroom with child whom she is seen placing in a cradle. Enter MARGARET trying to look as if she had been married for years.)

      MARGARET (calling). Mrs. Geddes! Jenny!

      (ENTER jenny.)

      JENNY. Miss Margaret!

      MARGARET. Not Miss Margaret any longer, Jenny!

      jenny. I forgot. Oh, miss, let me see it. (LOOKING AT Margaret’s LEFT HAND.)

      MARGARET (CONSCIOUSLY). See what, Jenny?

      JENNY. Oh, miss, when there’s just one thing in the world!

      (MARGARET SHOWS HER WEDDING RING GLEEFULLY.)

      JENNY (TO RING). Oh, the bonny, oh, the crittur, oh, the pet! (KISSES HER HAND TO IT.) Miss Margaret, when you woke up this morning and saw that on your finger did you scream out ‘ Hurray!’?

      MARGARET. But how is Mrs. Ommaney? I have come to see her.

      JENNY. She’s out, miss; she’s been out for hours. Are you acquaint with her?

      MARGARET. A little — but I heard СКАЧАТЬ