Hobsons Choice | Page 8

at him, Ada.
ADA. At Will?
MAGGIE (nodding). Not much for two women to fall out over, is there?
ADA. Maybe he's not so much to look at, but you should hear him play.
MAGGIE. Play? Are you a musician, Will?
WILLIE. I play the Jew's harp.
MAGGIE. That's what you see in him, is it? A gawky fellow that plays the Jew's harp?
ADA. I see the lad I love, Miss 'Obson.
MAGGIE. It's a funny thing, but I can say the same.
ADA. You!
WILLIE. That's what I've been trying to tell you, Ada, and--and, by gum, she'll have me from you if you don't be careful.
MAGGIE. So we're quits so far, Ada.
ADA. You'll pardon me. You've spoke too late. Will and me's tokened. (She takes his arm.)
MAGGIE. That's the past. It's the future that I'm looking to. What's your idea for that?
ADA. You mind your own business, Miss 'Obson. Will Mossop's no concern of thine.
WILLIE. That's what I try to tell her myself, only she will have it it's no use.
MAGGIE. Not an atom. I've asked for your idea of Willie's future. If it's a likelier one than mine, I'll give you best and you can have the lad.
ADA. I'm trusting him to make the future right.
MAGGIE. It's as bad as I thought it was. Willie, you wed me.
ADA (weakly). It's daylight robbery. (Moves slightly L.)
WILLIE. Aren't you going to put up a better fight for me than that, Ada? You're fair giving me to her.
MAGGIE. Will Mossop, you take your orders from me in this shop. I've told you you'll wed me.
WILLIE. Seems like there's no escape. (Sits in arm-chair.)
ADA (angry). Wait while I get you to home, my lad. I'll set my mother on to you.
MAGGIE. Oh, so it's her mother made this match!
WILLIE. She had above a bit to do with it.
MAGGIE. I've got no mother, Will.
WILLIE. You need none, neither.
MAGGIE. Well, can I sell you a pair of clogs, Miss Figgins?
ADA. No. Nor anything else.
MAGGIE. Then you've no business here, have you? (Moves up to doors and opens them.)
ADA (going to him). Will, are you going to see me ordered out?
WILLIE. It's her shop, Ada.
ADA. You mean I'm to go like this?
WILLIE. She means it.
ADA. It's cruel hard. (Moves towards doors.)
MAGGIE. When it comes to a parting, it's best to part sudden and no whimpering about it.
ADA. I'm not whimpering, and I'm not parting, neither. But he'll whimper to-night when my mother sets about him. (Slight movement back to him.)
MAGGIE. That'll do.
ADA (in almost a scream). Will Mossop, I'm telling you, you'll come home to-night to a thick ear.
(She goes.)
WILLIE (rising). I'd really rather wed Ada, Maggie, if it's all same to you.
MAGGIE. Why? Because of her mother?
WILLIE. She's a terrible rough side to her tongue, has Mrs. Figgins.
MAGGIE. Are you afraid of her?
WILLIE (hesitates, then says). Yes.
MAGGIE. You needn't be.
WILLIE. Yes, but you don't know her. She'll jaw me till I'm black in the face when I go home to-night.
MAGGIE. You won't go home to-night.
WILLIE. Not go?
MAGGIE. You've done with lodging there. You'll go to Tubby Wadlow's when you knock off work and Tubby'll go round to Mrs. Figgins for your things.
WILLIE. And I'm not to go back there never no more?
MAGGIE. No.
WILLIE. It's like an 'appy dream. Eh, Maggie, you do manage things.
(He opens the trap.)
MAGGIE. And while Tubby's there you can go round and see about putting the banns up for us two.
WILLIE. Banns! Oh, but I'm hardly used to the idea yet. (A step down.)
MAGGIE. You'll have three weeks to get used to it in. Now you can kiss me, Will.
WILLIE. That's forcing things a bit, and all. It's like saying I agree to everything, a kiss is.
MAGGIE. Yes.
WILLIE. And I don't agree yet. I'm--
MAGGIE. Come along.
(ALICE, then VICKEY enter R.)
Do what I tell you, Will.
WILLIE. Now? With them here?
MAGGIE. Yes.
WILLIE (pause). I couldn't. (He dives for trap, runs down, and closes it.)
ALICE. What's the matter with Willie?
MAGGIE. He's a bit upset because I've told him he's to marry me. Is dinner cooking nicely? (To desk, L.)
ALICE. You're going to marry Willie Mossop! Willie Mossop!
VICKEY. You've kept it quiet, Maggie.
MAGGIE. You know about it pretty near as soon as Willie does himself.
VICKEY. Well, I don't know!
ALICE. I know, and if you're afraid to speak your thoughts, I'm not. Look here, Maggie--(moving to L. C.),--what you do touches us, and you're mistaken if you think I'll own Willie Mossop for my brother-in-law.
MAGGIE. Is there supposed to be some disgrace in him?
ALICE. You ask father if there's disgrace. And look at me. I'd hopes of Albert Prosser till this happened.
MAGGIE. You'll marry Albert Prosser when he's able, and that'll be when ho starts spending less on laundry bills and hair cream. (Goes to R.)
(HOBSON enters from the street.)
HOBSON. Well, what about that dinner? (Comes C.)
(The positions are MAGGIE R., VICKEY up