Complete Plays of John Galsworthy eBook

This eBook from the Gutenberg Project consists of approximately 1,284 pages of information about Complete Plays of John Galsworthy.

Complete Plays of John Galsworthy eBook

This eBook from the Gutenberg Project consists of approximately 1,284 pages of information about Complete Plays of John Galsworthy.

     [She stops, seeing Miss beech signing to her with both hands.]

Mrs. Hope. [Sharply.] What is it, Peachey?

Miss beech. [Selecting a finger.] Pricked meself!

Mrs. Hope.  Let’s look!

     [She bends to look, but Miss beech places the finger in her
     mouth.]

Rose. [Glancing askance at the colonel.] If you please, Mum, it’s below the waist; I think I can manage with the dummy.

Mrs. Hope.  Well, you can try. [Opening her letter as rose retires.]
Here’s Molly about her train.

Miss beech.  Is there a letter for me?

Mrs. Hope.  No, Peachey.

Miss beech.  There never is.

Colonel.  What’s that?  You got four by the first post.

Miss beech.  Exceptions!

Colonel. [Looking over his glasses.] Why!  You know, you get ’em every day!

Mrs. Hope.  Molly says she’ll be down by the eleven thirty. [In an injured voice.] She’ll be here in half an hour! [Reading with disapproval from the letter.] “Maurice lever is coming down by the same train to see Mr. Henty about the Tocopala Gold Mine.  Could you give him a bed for the night?”

     [Silence, slight but ominous.]

Colonel. [Calling into his aid his sacred hospitality.] Of course we must give him a bed!

Mrs. Hope.  Just like a man!  What room I should like to know!

Colonel.  Pink.

Mrs. Hope.  As if Molly wouldn’t have the pink!

Colonel. [Ruefully.] I thought she’d have the blue!

Mrs. Hope.  You know perfectly well it’s full of earwigs, Tom.  I killed ten there yesterday morning.

Miss beech.  Poor creatures!

Mrs. Hope.  I don’t know that I approve of this Mr. Lever’s dancing attendance.  Molly’s only thirty-six.

Colonel. [In a high voice.] You can’t refuse him a bed; I never heard of such a thing.

Mrs. Hope. [Reading from the letter.] “This gold mine seems to be a splendid chance. [She glances at the colonel.] I’ve put all my spare cash into it.  They’re issuing some Preference shares now; if Uncle Tom wants an investment”—­[She pauses, then in a changed, decided voice ]—­Well, I suppose I shall have to screw him in somehow.

Colonel.  What’s that about gold mines?  Gambling nonsense!  Molly ought to know my views.

Mrs. Hope. [Folding the letter away out of her consciousness.] Oh! your views!  This may be a specially good chance.

Miss beech.  Ahem!  Special case!

Mrs. Hope. [Paying no attention.] I ’m sick of these 3 per cent. dividends.  When you’ve only got so little money, to put it all into that India Stock, when it might be earning 6 per cent. at least, quite safely!  There are ever so many things I want.

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Complete Plays of John Galsworthy from Project Gutenberg. Public domain.