Fifty Contemporary One-Act Plays Part 232

OLIVIA

I am here--close to you, Florio!

FLORIO

What have you women done to me!

[_To Olivia._] Your face!

An evil dream is in my heart!

[_He gropes, catches her quickly on each side of the head with both hands. He draws her down to him. He runs his fingers flickeringly over the smooth, rosy beauty of her face...._

_Then, with an eyeless, uplifted countenance which reveals complete understanding and an abyss of horror and madness, he slowly pushes Olivia away...._

_He lifts his fingers up grotesquely in the air, each distinct and widespread--painfully, as if fire spurted out of the ends of them.

Olivia weeps...._

_Lizzia intones prayers...._

_Violante holds herself erect and triumphant, clinging to the great arras in back, struggling for strength to go out._

_At this moment another death-procession pa.s.ses.... A Miserere is chanted...._

_A dawn of horror breaks over Violante's face ... she shrinks inward from the pa.s.sing procession, feeling the huge horror of the Pestilence._

_Olivia gathers Florio's unresisting head to her bosom...._

_The sound of the Miserere dies off...._

_Into this tableau breaks Dioneo. Slowly he parts the arras._]

DIONEO [_grimacing, and seeing, at first, only Lizzia at the altar._]

Bestir yourself, old woman-- Where is your master, Florio, And Lady Violante Ugolini?...

This is no time for lovers' dallying....

Tell them that Seignior Boccaccio Sends word through me that we must wait no longer.

And, furthermore, he bids me say--that

[_Violante falls in a faint across his feet. Dioneo sees all.

Shrinking back._]

Merciful G.o.d!...

[_Curtain._]

ANOTHER WAY OUT

A COMEDY

BY LAWRENCE LANGNER

Copyright, 1916, by Lawrence Langner.

All rights reserved.

ANOTHER WAY OUT was originally produced by the Was.h.i.+ngton Square Players at the Comedy Theatre, New York, on November 13th, 1916, with the following cast:

MARGARET MARSHALL _Gwladys Wynne_.

MRS. ABBEY _Jean Robb_.

POMEROY PENDLETON _Jose Ruben_.

BARONESS DE MEAUVILLE _Helen Westley_.

CHARLES P. K. FENTON _Robert Strange_.

TIME: _The Present_.

Produced under the direction of MR. PHILLIP MOELLER.

Reprinted from "Plays of the Was.h.i.+ngton Square Players," published by Frank Shay, by permission of Mr. Lawrence Langner. Applications for permission to perform ANOTHER WAY OUT must be made to Lawrence Langner, 55 Liberty Street, New York.

ANOTHER WAY OUT

A COMEDY BY LAWRENCE LANGNER

[SCENE: _The studio in Pendleton's apartment. A large room, with sky-light in center wall, doors right and left, table set for breakfast; a vase with red flowers decorates the table. Center back stage, in front of sky-light, modeling stand upon which is placed a rough statuette, covered by cloth. To one side of this is a large screen. The furnis.h.i.+ngs are many hued, the cus.h.i.+ons a flare of color, and the pictures fantastically futuristic._

_At Rise: Mrs. Abbey, a benevolent looking, middle-aged woman, in neat clothes and ap.r.o.n, is arranging some dishes on the table.

Margaret, a very modern young woman, is exercising vigorously. She is decidedly good-looking. Her eyes are direct, her complexion fresh, and her movements free. Her brown hair is "bobbed," and she wears a picturesque Grecian robe._]

MRS. ABBEY. Breakfast is ready, ma'am.

[_Margaret sits at table and helps herself. Exit Mrs. Abbey, left._]

MARGARET [_calling_]. Pommy dear. Breakfast is on the table.

PENDLETON [_from without_]. I'll be there in a moment.

[_Margaret glances through paper; Pendleton enters, door right. He is tall and thin, and of aesthetic appearance. His long blond hair is brushed loosely over his forehead and he is dressed in a helitrope-colored dressing gown. He lights a cigarette._]