“You’re after something there isn’t anything to”

“Ivan!  Don’t kill me!”

“My friend, there is sand in your gear-box”

The illustrations are from photographs of scenes in the play made especially for the book by Mr. Luther S. White.

CHARACTERS

MEN

Daniel Voorhees Pike
Of Kokomo, Indiana

THE GRAND-DUKE VASILI VASILIVITCH

THE EARL OF HAWCASTLE

The Hon.  Almeric st. Aubyn
Son of Lord Hawcastle

IVANOFF

HORACE GRANGER-SIMPSON

Ribiere
The Grand-Duke’s secretary

Mariano
Maitre d’hotel

Michele
A waiter

Two carabiniere

A valet de chambre

Several Sorrentine musicians and fishermen

WOMEN

ETHEL GRANGER-SIMPSON

COMTESSE DE CHAMPIGNY

Lady Creech
Sister-in-law of Hawcastle

Act I.—­The terrace of the Hotel Regina Margherita on the cliff at
Sorrento.  Morning.

Act II.—­The entrance garden.  Afternoon.

Act III.—­An apartment in the hotel.  Evening.

Act IV.—­The terrace.  Morning.

The time is the present.

The scene is Sorrento, in Southern Italy.

THE FIRST ACT

Scene:  The terrace of the Hotel Regina Margherita, on the cliff at
Sorrento, overlooking the Bay of Naples.

There is a view of the bay and its semi-circular coast-line, dotted with villages; Vesuvius gray in the distance.  Across the stage at the rear runs a marble balustrade about three feet high, guarding the edge of the cliff.  Upon the left is seen part of one wing of the hotel, entrance to which is afforded by wide-open double doors approached by four or five marble steps with a railing and small stoop.  The hotel is of pink and white stucco, and striped awnings shield the windows.  Upon the right is a lemon grove and shrubberies.  There are two or three small white wicker tea-tables and a number of wicker chairs upon the left, and a square table laid with white cloth on the right.

As the curtain rises mandolins and guitars are heard, and the “Fisherman’s Song,” the time very rapid and gay, the musicians being unseen.

Mariano, maitre d’hotel, is discovered laying the table down R.C. with eggs, coffee, and rolls for two.  He is a pleasant-faced, elderly man, stout, swarthy, clean shaven; wears dress-clothes, white waist-coat, and black tie.  He is annoyed by the music.