One Day More | Page 4

anywhere.
Carvil (Lying back). Bessie! (Sits up.) Get my hat, Bessie.... Bessie, my

hat.... Bessie.... Bessie. ...
(_At the first sound Bessie picks up and puts away her knitting. She
walks towards him, picks up hat, puts it on his head_).
Bessie, my... (Hat on head; shouting stops.) Bessie. (Quietly). Will you
go in, now? Carvil. Help me up. Steady. I'm dizzy. It's the thundery
weather. An autumn thunderstorm means a bad gale. Very fierce--and
sudden. There will be shipwrecks to-night on our coast.
(_Exit Bessie and Carvil through door of their cottage. It has fallen
dusk_.)
Capt. H. (Picks up spade). Extravagant fellow! And all this town is
mad--perfectly mad. I found them out years ago. Thank God they don't
come this way staring and grinning. I can't bear them. I'll never go
again into that High Street. (Agitated.) Never, never, never. Won't need
to after to-morrow. Never! (Flings down spade in passion.)
(_While Hagberd speaks, the bow window of the Carvils is lit up, and
Bessie is seen settling her father in a big armchair. Pulls down blind.
Enter Lamplighter. Capt. H. picks up the spade and leans forward on it
with both hands; very still, watching him light the lamp_.)
Lamplighter (Jocular). There! You will be able to dig by lamplight if
the fancy takes you.
(Exit Lamplighter to back.)
Capt. H. (Disgusted). Ough! The people here. . . (Shudders.)
Lamplighter's Voice (Heard loudly beyond the cottages). Yes, that's the
way.
(Enter Harry from back.)

SCENE III.

(Capt. H. Harry. Later Bessie).
Harry Hagberd (_thirty-one, tall, broad shoulders, shaven face, small
moustache. Blue serge suit. Coat open. Grey flannel shirt without collar
and tie. No waistcoat. Belt with buckle. Black, soft felt hat,
wide-brimmed, worn crushed in the crown and a little on one side.
Good nature, recklessness, some swagger in the bearing. Assured,
deliberate walk with a heavy tread. Slight roll in the gait. Walks down.
Stops, hands in pockets. Looks about. Speaks_.) This must be it. Can't
see anything beyond. There's somebody. (Walks up to Capt. Hagberd's
gate?) Can you tell me... (Manner changes. Leans elbow on gate?)
Why, you must be Capt. Hagberd himself.
Capt. H. (In garden, both hands on spade, peering, startled). Yes, I am.
Harry (Slowly). You've been advertising in the papers for your son, I
believe.
Capt. H. (Off his guard, nervous). Yes. My only boy Harry. He's
coming home to-morrow. (Mumbles.) For a permanent stay.
Harry (Surprised). The devil he is! (Change of tone?) My word! You've
grown a beard like Father Christmas himself.
Capt. H. (Impressively). Go your way. (Waves one hand loftily?)
What's that to you. Go your way. (Agitated?) Go your way.
Harry. There, there. I am not trespassing in the street--where I
stand--am I? Tell you what, I fancy there's something wrong about your
news. Suppose you let me come in--for a quiet chat, you know.
Capt. H. (Horrified). Let you--you come in!
Harry (Persuasive). Because I could give you some real information
about your son. The--very--latest--tip. If you care to hear.
Capt. H. (Explodes). No! I don't care to hear. (_Begins to pace to and
fro, spade on shoulder. Gesticulating with his other arm_.) Here's a

fellow--a grinning town fellow, who says there's something wrong.
(Fiercely.) I have got more information than you're aware of. I have all
the information I want. I have had it for years--for years--for
years--enough to last me till to-morrow! Let you come in, indeed! What
would Harry say?
(_Bessie Carvil appears at cottage door with a white wrap on her head
and stands in her garden trying to see_).
Bessie. What's the matter?
Capt. H. (Beside himself). An information fellow. (Stumbles.)
Harry (Putting out arm to steady him, gravely). Here! Steady a bit!
Seems to me somebody's been trying to get at you. (Change of tone.)
Hullo! What's this rig you've got on?... Storm canvas coat, by George!
(He gives a frig, throaty laugh.) Well! You are a character!
Capt. H. (Daunted by the allusion, looks at coat). I--I wear it for--for
the time being. Till--till--to-morrow. (_Shrinks away, spade in hand, to
door of his cottage_.)
Bessie (Advancing). And what may you want, sir?
Harry (Turns to Bessie at once; easy manner). I'd like to know about
this swindle that's going to be sprung on him. I didn't mean to startle
the old man. You see, on my way here I dropped into a barber's to get a
twopenny shave, and they told me there that he was something of a
character. He has been a character all his life.
Bessie (Wondering). What swindle?
Capt. H. A grinning fellow! (_Makes sudden dash indoors with the
spade. Door slams. Affected gurgling laugh within_.)

SCENE IV.

(Bessie and Harry. Later Capt. H. from window).
Harry (After a short silence). What on earth's