The Ghost Breaker: A Melodramatic Farce in Four Acts Part 1

The Ghost Breaker.

by Paul d.i.c.key and Charles G.o.ddard.

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SECTION 4966:--Any person publicly performing or representing any dramatic or musical composition for which copyright has been obtained, without the consent of the proprietor of said dramatic or musical composition, or his heirs and a.s.signs, shall be liable for damages thereof, such damages, in all cases to be a.s.sessed at such sum, not less than one hundred dollars for the first and fifty dollars for every subsequent performance, as to the court shall appear to be just. If the unlawful performance and representation be wilful and for profit, such person or persons shall be guilty of a misdemeanor, and upon conviction shall be imprisoned for a period not exceeding one year.--U.S. Revised Statutes: t.i.tle 60, Chap. 3.

THE CAST

PRINCESS MARIA THERESA OF ARAGON.

WARREN JARVIS, _of Kentucky_.

NITA, _the Princess' Maid_.

HOUSE DETECTIVE, _Manhattan Hotel_.

RUSTY SNOW, _Warren Jarvis' Colored Servant_.

DETECTIVES, _from Police Headquarters_.

HOTEL PORTER.

STEWARD, _on S.S. Aquitania_.

CARLOS, _Duke d'Alva_.

DOLORES, _the Innkeeper's Daughter_.

VARDOS, _Messenger to the Missing Prince_.

DON ROBLEDO, _a Soldier of Fortune_.

PEDRO, _the Innkeeper_.

MAXIMO, _a Spanish Soldier_.

GASPAR, _a Villager_.

JOSE, _Chauffeur_.

TIME: _The Present_.

ACT I. _A Room in the Hotel Manhattan, New York. Five A.M._

ACT II. _A Cabin on Board S.S. Aquitania. Same Morning._

ACT III. _An Old Tavern, Segura, Spain. Evening._

ACT IV. _The Castle. Same Night._

THE GHOST BREAKER

ACT I

SCENE: _Room 1121, Manhattan Hotel, New York City._

_At rise stage dark. Moonlight streams through the window. Small clock strikes five. Pause. Tower clock strikes. Two gun-shots heard off stage right. Door slams off stage. Footsteps heard coming along corridor, growing hubbub and commotion._ PRINCESS _pokes head through curtains._ R. _door bursts open and_ WARREN JARVIS _enters hurriedly, in long coat over evening dress, closing and bolting the door behind him._

_Princess._ Madre de Dios! (_Showing only her head._) (JARVIS _kicks in door, shuts it, and throws his shoulder against it._) Who's there?

JARVIS. s.h.!.+ Don't make any noise.

PRINCESS. (_Winding her dressing gown closely about her and coming a little way into the room_) What do you want?

JARVIS. Silence!

PRINCESS. (_Switches on lamp on right table_) How dare you enter!

JARVIS. s.h.!.+ Not a sound--do you understand?

VOICE OFF. (R.) What's the row?

SECOND VOICE. (R.) Somebody fired a pistol.

PRINCESS. What right--?

JARVIS. Quiet!

VOICE. Where'd he go? Look on the fire-escape.

SECOND VOICE. No, he's on this floor.

PRINCESS. What is it? What do you want here? What have you done?

JARVIS. (_Turning to her_) Now, it's all right. I'm not going to harm you. If you will just keep quiet. Is that clear to you?

PRINCESS. Is it money you want? All the money I have is on that dressing table. (_Pointing._) Take it and go.

JARVIS. I'm not a burglar. I don't want your money.