Fifty Contemporary One-Act Plays Part 86

KEZIA. Come close, sweetheart.

[_She draws nearer to Joe, who does not move, and tries to keep the cane hidden. He suddenly draws her close to him with his right arm, and whispers._]

JOE. Kezia.

KEZIA [_softly_]. Joey, my dear! [_She nestles closer to him and puts her head on his shoulder._] He'll be the dearest little thing a woman ever bore.

[_Joe laughs softly, kisses Kezia gently on the eyes, brow, and then month, and holds her closely to him._]

JOE. Heaven cain't be more desirable than this.

KEZIA. To think there'll be three of us soon. You see now why I've been so teasy lately. Now I'll sing all day long so he'll be a happy boy.

[_Joe does not move. He makes furtive attempts to hide the cane behind the settle, and moves a little as he continues to smile at Kezia._]

KEZIA. Thee'rt smiling, Joe! Thee and me 'ave both hungered for the same thing. Did thee guess it at all, I wonder? I've kept it from thee a while to make sure. But, lor'! my dear life! whatever be this that you've got here? [_She pulls the long cane out of Joe's hands and holds it in hers. They both look at it very solemnly for a few moments, and Joe scratches his head sadly, unable to speak. She bursts into a merry laugh and her lips tremble._] Eh! Joe! lad! [_softly._] Thee was always unlike other chaps; that's why I do love thee so. Fancy thee guessing, and going to buy him somethin' right away! [_She puts her face in her hands and sobs and laughs together._] Oh! it brings it so near like.

Most men would have thought of a cradle or a rattle, but thee! Oh! my dear! [_She throws her arms round his neck and kisses him on the mouth._] Thee thought of the first beatin' we should be forced to give him, for, of course, he'll be a lad of tremenjous spirit.

JOE [_suddenly, and s.n.a.t.c.hing the cane from Kezia._] So he will. Both his father and mother be folk of great spirit, and--the first time as he dirts the tablecloth or frets his mother, I'll lay it on him as, thanks be, I've never laid it on n.o.body yet.

[_Curtain._]

THE CONSTANT LOVER

A COMEDY OF YOUTH

BY ST. JOHN HANKIN

Copyright, All rights reserved.

"_As of old when the world's heart was lighter._"

THE CONSTANT LOVER was first produced at the Royalty Theatre, London, January 30, 1912, under the direction of Messrs. Vedrenne and Eadie, with the following cast:

EVELYN RIVERS _Miss Gladys Cooper._ CECIL HARBURTON _Mr. Dennis Eadie._

Reprinted from "The Dramatic Works of St. John Hankin," by permission of, and by special arrangement with, Mr. Mitch.e.l.l Kennerley.

THE CONSTANT LOVER

A COMEDY BY ST. JOHN HANKIN

[_Before the curtain rises the orchestra will play the Woodland Music (cuckoo) from "Hansel and Gretel" and possibly some of the Grieg Pastoral Music from "Peer Gynt," or some Gabriel Faure._

SCENE: _A glade in a wood. About C. a great beech-tree, the branches of which overhang the stage, the brilliant sunlight filtering through them. The sky where it can be seen through the branches is a cloudless blue._

_When the curtain rises Cecil Harburton is discovered sitting on the ground under the tree, leaning his back against its trunk and reading a book. He wears a straw hat and the lightest of gray flannel suits. The chattering of innumerable small birds is heard while the curtain is still down, and this grows louder as it rises, and we find ourselves in the wood. Presently a wood pigeon coos in the distance. Then a thrush begins to sing in the tree above Cecil's head and is answered by another. After a moment Cecil looks up._]

CECIL. By Jove, that's jolly! [_Listens for a moment, then returns to his book._]

[_Suddenly a cuckoo begins to call insistently. After a moment or two he looks up again._]

Cuckoo too! Bravo! [_Again he returns to his book._]

[_A moment later enter Evelyn Rivers. She also wears the lightest of summer dresses, as it is a cloudless day in May. On her head is a shady straw hat. As she approaches the tree a twig snaps under her foot and Cecil looks up. He jumps to his feet, closing book, and advances to her, eagerly holding out his right hand, keeping the book in his left._]

[_Reproachfully._] Here you are at last!

EVELYN. At last?

CECIL. Yes. You're awfully late! [_Looks at watch._]

EVELYN. Am I?

CECIL. YOU know you are. I expected you at three.

EVELYN. Why? I never said I'd come at three. Indeed, I never said I'd come at all.

CECIL. No.--But it's always been three.

EVELYN. Has it?

CECIL. And now it's half-past. I consider I've been cheated out of a whole half-hour.

EVELYN. I couldn't help it. Mother kept me. She wanted the roses done in the drawing-room.

CECIL. How stupid of Mrs. Rivers!

EVELYN. Mr. Harburton!

CECIL. What's the matter?

EVELYN. I don't think you _ought_ to call my mother stupid.

CECIL. Why not--if she is stupid? Most parents are stupid, by the way.

I've noticed it before. Mrs. Rivers ought to have thought of the roses earlier. The morning is the proper time to gather roses. Didn't you tell her that?