Green Stockings Part 20

CELIA. (_Confused_) I can't---- You utterly fail to understand the situation, Colonel Vavasour. All the help that any of us can give is needed at this election. To-night is particularly important. The two candidates are to meet on neutral ground.

SMITH. Then certainly Mr. Tarver ought to go--not you.

CELIA. But I ask you, would Colonel Smith have wished me at a time like this to shut myself alone In my room with nothing but his memory for my companion?

SMITH. He'd have loved it.

FARADAY. (_Entering through morning room in evening dress, carrying coat and hat_) Ready, Celia, ready! (CELIA _and_ SMITH _separate_, SMITH _going well_ L. FARADAY _puts coat and hat on piano stool and comes down_ C.) Aren't the others down yet?

CELIA. Father, this is Colonel Vavasour.

FARADAY. How do you do? (_They shake hands_.)

SMITH. How do you do? I have just returned from Somaliland.

FARADAY. Oh! Then you knew----

(SMITH _nods; drops his head_.)

SMITH. My dearest friend.

FARADAY. Poor fellow! Poor fellow! (SMITH _looks up_.) Oh, not for that reason--not for that reason, of course. (LADY TRENCHARD, MADGE _and_ PHYLLIS _enter, in evening dress, followed by_ TARVER.) My daughters, Colonel Vavasour. We are only waiting for your aunt now.

(LADY TRENCHARD _shakes hands gus.h.i.+ngly, crosses to_ SMITH _and sits_ R. _of table_ L., _drawing on her gloves_. MADGE _merely bows as she crosses and joins_ EVELYN. PHYLLIS _crosses, and joins them_. SMITH _goes_ R.C. FARADAY _has gone_ L. _at back and comes down stage_ L.

_of table_ L. TARVER _goes directly and sits on fender_.)

FARADAY. (_Continuing_) Sorry we can't keep you to dinner.

CELIA. (_Sits on lower end of sofa_) That's quite all right, Father.

Colonel Vavasour is obliged to return to London to-night. There is an excellent train at eight-thirty.

SMITH. (_Takes up railway guide which_ CELIA _has left open on table and reads_) "Stops at every station, has a two hours' wait at Bletchley, and arrives in London at three-thirty in the morning."

(_Looks at_ CELIA) An excellent train. The express goes at ten.

FARADAY. Then of course you'll stay and dine here first. Martin shall look after you.

SMITH. I shall be most happy. (_At_ CELIA) I have brought a message for Miss Faraday and I shall be unable to deliver it if she goes out to dinner.

CELIA. (_Speaking over her shoulder_) Father, you know I promised you this afternoon that I should not let this news interfere----

FARADAY. But, my dear child, thinking it over, we can't expect such a sacrifice.

PHYLLIS. (_In a whisper to_ MADGE) But she must go. There's only dinner for two.

FARADAY. Dinner for two! What two?

TARVER. (_Coming down_ R. _to door_) Well, you see, I am worn to a shadow, and Phyllis and I thought----

FARADAY. (_Coming_ C.) Oh, you did! Did you? You get elected first, my lad, and think afterwards.

TARVER. Oh, I say!

FARADAY. Phyllis and Tarver shall dine with Admiral Grice.

PHYLLIS. But, Father----

FARADAY. Celia and Colonel Vavasour shall stay behind and eat _their_ dinner.

TARVER. You don't know how I need a rest.

CELIA. Yes, Father, Bobby is very tired.

SMITH. As for myself, and I know a great deal about elections, I think it would be extremely prejudical if Mr. Tarver didn't go.

FARADAY. Then that settles it.

(TARVER _exits_ R.IE., _looking back belligerently at_ COLONEL VAVASOUR. EVELYN _in dumb show tells_ PHYLLIS _to get her wraps, and_ PHYLLIS _flounces out through morning room_.)

MARTIN. (_Entering_ L.I _and announcing_) Mr. Steele and Mr. Raleigh.

(RALEIGH _comes_ C. _quickly to_ FARADAY. STEELE, _shaking hands first with_ EVELYN, _then stepping back and shaking hands with_ MADGE, _speaks from_ L. _of_ MADGE _near door_.)

STEELE. How do you do, Mr. Faraday?

FARADAY. Good evening, boys.

STEELE. We have both, I believed, arrived with the same idea. We are all going to the dinner party, aren't we? I have my mother's brougham and, since you are rather a large party--(_Looking across at_ CELIA)--I thought I might be allowed to give _some one_ a lift.

RALEIGH. _I_ have come in _my own motor car_, and since you are rather a large party--(_Also looking pointedly at_ CELIA)--I thought I might be allowed to give some one a lift.

FARADAY. It is very kind of you boys to think of us. We shall be a little bit squeezed. We _are_ rather a large party, though Celia is not going.

STEELE _and_ RALEIGH. (_Disappointedly_) Not going?

FARADAY. No. Colonel Smith is dead. (STEELE _and_ RALEIGH _turn away and a slow smile breaks over their faces_.) This is Colonel Vavasour.

(STEELE _and_ RALEIGH _eye_ SMITH _with interest_.) He knew Colonel Smith.

SMITH. (L. _of table_ R.) His dearest friend. I bring his last dying message. (CELIA _rises from sofa, glances at_ SMITH _and goes up to doorway_ R.) He used to lie on his sickbed, gazing across the thatched roofs of Berbera to the Arab dhows riding at their anchors in the sea.