A Little Surprise.[1]
Adapted from the French of Abraham Dreyfus.
By Constance Beerbohm.
Characters:
Sir William Beauchamp, Bart. (43),
Lady Florence Beauchamp (39),
Mr. James Dugdale (23),
Kate Dugdale (18),
Porter, the Lady's-maid (30).
Scene: A country drawing-room. A French window opening on to a flower garden at the back of the stage. Doors right and left. A sofa, arm-chairs, smaller chairs, etc.
At the rise of the curtain, Jem and Kitty are discovered sitting with their backs to one another, evidently sulking. Jem looks round every now and then, trying to catch his wife's eye, and she studiously avoids his glance. At length their eyes meet.
EM (rises): No! I tell you I can't stand it!
Kitty: And why not? I always went out with the guns at home.
Jem: "At home" and your husband's house are two very different places.
Kitty: So I find!
Jem: And I have told you and over over again I detest to see any woman—more especially a girl of eighteen, like yourself—tramping over the moors in gaiters, and a skirt by a long way too short!
Kitty: Perhaps, with your old-maidish ideas, you would like to see me taking my walks abroad with a train as long as my Court frock!
Jem: Perversity!
Kitty: I only know that papa, mamma, and grandmamma always said———
- ↑ The rights of representation are reserved.
