Fifty Contemporary One-Act Plays Part 262

She pa.s.ses her hand across her eyes--then commences to laugh hysterically and goes to the organ. She sits down and starts to play wildly an old hymn, "There is rest for the weary." Keeney reenters from the doorway to the deck and stands looking at her angrily. He comes over and grabs her roughly by the shoulder._]

KEENEY. Woman, what foolish mockin' is this? [_She laughs wildly and he starts back from her in alarm._] Annie! What is it? [_She doesn't answer him. Keeney's voice trembles._] Don't you know me, Annie?

[_He puts both hands on her shoulders and turns her around so that he can look into her eyes. She stares up at him with a stupid expression, a vague smile on her lips. He stumbles away from her, and she commences softly to play the organ again._]

KEENEY [_swallowing hard--in a hoa.r.s.e whisper, as if he had difficulty in speaking_]. You said--you was agoin' mad--G.o.d!

[_A long wail is heard from the deck above, "Ah, bl-o-o-o-ow!" A moment later the Mate's face appears through the skylight. He cannot see Mrs. Keeney._]

MATE [_in great excitement_]. Whales, sir--a whole school of 'em--off the star-b'd quarter 'bout five miles away--big ones!

KEENEY [_galvanized into action_]. Are you lowerin' the boats?

MATE. Yes, sir.

KEENEY [_with grim decision_]. I'm acomin' with ye.

MATE. Aye, aye, sir. [_Jubilantly._] You'll git the ile now right enough, sir.

[_His head is withdrawn and he can be heard shouting orders._]

KEENEY [_turning to his wife_]. Annie! Did you hear him? I'll git the ile. [_She doesn't answer or seem to know he is there. He gives a hard laugh which is almost a groan._] I know you're foolin' me, Annie. You ain't out of your mind--[_Anxiously._] be you? I'll git the ile now right enough--jest a little while longer, Annie--then we'll turn home'ard. I can't turn back now, you see that, don't you? I've got to git the ile. [_In sudden terror._] Answer me! You ain't mad, be you?

[_She keeps on playing the organ, but makes no reply. The Mate's face appears again through the skylight._]

MATE. All ready, sir.

[_Keeney turns his back on his wife and strides to the doorway, where he stands for a moment and looks back at her in anguish, fighting to control his feelings._]

MATE. Comin', sir?

KEENEY [_his face suddenly grows hard with determination_]. Aye.

[_He turns abruptly and goes out. Mrs. Keeney does not appear to notice his departure. Her whole attention seems centered in the organ. She sits with half-closed eyes, her body swaying a little from side to side to the rhythm of the hymn. Her fingers move faster and faster and she is playing wildly and discordantly as the_

_Curtain falls._]

THE NURSERY MAID OF HEAVEN

A MIRACLE PLAY

BY THOMAS WOOD STEVENS

Based on a story by Vernon Lee.

Copyright, 1920, by Thomas Wood Stevens.

All rights reserved.

THE NURSERY MAID OF HEAVEN was first produced by the School of the Drama, Carnegie Inst.i.tute of Technology, Pittsburgh, Pa., on the night of November 14, 1919, with the following cast:

SISTER BENVENUTA _Hazel Beck_.

SISTER GRIMANA _Alicia S. Guthrie_.

SISTER ROSALBA _Grey McAuley_.

THE ABBESS _Dorothy Rubinstein_.

THE SISTER SACRISTAN _Inez D. R. Hazel_.

ATALANTA BADOER [_a novice_] _Carolyn McCampbell_.

ABBE FILOSI _Wm. R. Dean_.

THE PUPPET MAN _Lawrence Paquin_.

BEELZEBUBB SATANa.s.sO _James S. Church_.

SCENE I: The Chapter-Room of the Convent of Our Lady of the Rosebush, Cividale.

SCENE II: Benvenuta's cell.

SCENE III: The Chapter-Room.

TIME: _Early in the eighteenth century. Some days elapse between scenes_.

Stage settings and properties by ALEXANDER WYCKOFF and DAVID S.

GAITHER.

Lightning by ARLEIGH B. WILLIAMSON.

Costumes by SARA E. BENNETT and LELA MAY AULTMAN.

Music by CHARLES PEARSON.

The amateur and professional stage rights to THE NURSERY MAID OF HEAVEN are reserved by the author. Applications for permission to produce the play should be addressed to Frank Shay, Stewart & Kidd Company, Cincinnati, Ohio. No performance may be given without his consent.

THE NURSERY MAID OF HEAVEN

A MIRACLE PLAY BY THOMAS WOOD STEVENS

[_SCENE I: Atalanta, the novice, sits, rebellious and sullen, on the steps of the Mother Superior's das. From time to time nuns and novices pa.s.s across the stage to the left, on their way to the refectory. Sister Grimana, an old nun, comes down to Atalanta purposefully._]

GRIMANA. Sulking again, are you? Waiting for Sister Benvenuta, are you?

[_Atalanta is silent._]

Remembering things that are really no concern of yours; and thinking they concern you because you remember them--doubtless quite inaccurately. I know. It's a way of the Badoer family--and of the Loredani, too, for that matter. When you were a child there was confiture with the bread--and you threw away the crust; and they let you do it, and now you can't find your vocation.