The Gay Lord Quex

The Gay Lord Quex

The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Gay Lord Quex, by Arthur W. Pinero This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.net
Title: The Gay Lord Quex A Comedy in Four Acts
Author: Arthur W. Pinero
Release Date: May 2, 2005 [EBook #15744]
Language: English
Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1
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THE GAY LORD QUEX [Transcriber's Notes: The following changes were made to the e-book edition of this book: pot��g��e changed to prot��g��e, and punctuation normalized]

_All applications respecting amateur performances of this play must he made to Mr. Pinero's agents, Samuel French, Limited, 89 Strand, London, W.C._

THE GAY LORD QUEX

_THE PLAYS OF ARTHUR W. PINERO_
Paper cover, 1s. 6d.; cloth, 2s. 6d. each
THE TIMES THE PROFLIGATE THE CABINET MINISTER _THE HOBBY-HORSE_ LADY BOUNTIFUL THE MAGISTRATE DANDY DICK SWEET LAVENDER THE SCHOOLMISTRESS THE WEAKER SEX THE AMAZONS _THE SECOND MRS. TANQUERAY_ _THE NOTORIOUS MRS. EBBSMITH_ THE BENEFIT OF THE DOUBT THE PRINCESS AND THE BUTTERFLY _TRELAWNY OF THE "WELLS"_
THE PINERO BIRTHDAY BOOK SELECTED AND ARRANGED BY MYRA HAMILTON With a Portrait, cloth extra, price 2s. 6d.
_LONDON: WILLIAM HEINEMANN_

THE GAY LORD QUEX
A COMEDY In Four Acts
_By ARTHUR W. PINERO_
_LONDON: WILLIAM HEINEMANN_
MCM

_Copyright, 1900 All rights reserved Entered at Stationers' Hall Entered at the Library of Congress, Washington, U.S.A._

THE PERSONS OF THE PLAY THE MARQUESS OF QUEX SIR CHICHESTER FRAYNE (Governor of Uumbos, West Coast of Africa) CAPTAIN BASTLING "VALMA," otherwise FRANK POLLITT (a Professional Palmist) THE DUCHESS OF STROOD JULIA, COUNTESS OF OWBRIDGE MRS. JACK EDEN MURIEL EDEN (her sister-in-law) SOPHY FULLGARNEY (a Manicurist) MISS MOON } MISS HUDDLE } (her Assistants) MISS CLARIDGE } MISS LIMBIRD } A YOUNG LADY AND OTHER PATRONS OF MISS FULLGARNEY SERVANTS AT FAUNCEY COURT

_This Play was first acted at the Globe Theatre, London, on Saturday, April 8, 1899_

THE FIRST ACT ESTABLISHMENT OF SOPHY FULLGARNEY, MANICURIST AND DISPENSER OF ARTICLES FOR THE TOILET, 185 NEW BOND STREET
(AFTERNOON)
_THE SECOND ACT__
AT LADY OWBRIDGE'S. THE "ITALIAN GARDEN," FAUNCEY COURT, RICHMOND
(EVENING)
THE THIRD ACT A BOUDOIR AND BEDROOM AT FAUNCEY COURT
(NIGHT)
THE FOURTH ACT IN BOND STREET AGAIN
(THE FOLLOWING DAY)
_The action of the Play is comprised within the space of twenty-four hours_

THE GAY LORD QUEX
THE FIRST ACT
_The scene represents a manicure establishment in New Bond Street. It is a front room upon the first floor, with three french-windows affording a view of certain buildings on the east side of the street. On the left, furthest from the spectator, is a wide, arched opening, apparently leading to another apartment, in which is the door giving entrance to the rooms from the staircase. Nearer, there is another french-window, opening on to an expanse of "leads" and showing the exterior of the wall of the further room above-mentioned. From the right, above the middle window, runs an ornamental partition, about nine feet in height, with panels of opaque glass. This partition extends more than half-way across the room, then runs forward for some distance, turns off at a sharp angle, and terminates between the arched opening and the window on the left. That part of the partition running from right to left is closed on its left side and forms, therefore, a separate room or compartment. Facing the audience, on the right, is a door admitting to this compartment; and, on the left, also in the, partition opposite the windows on the right, is an opening with a looped-back porti��re. The space between this opening and the further room forms a narrow anteroom, containing articles of furniture visible through the opening. Mirrors are affixed to the right wall, between the lower and the middle window and between the middle window and the partition, while on the left, between the window and the partition, is another mirror. A number of business cards are stuck in the frames of the mirrors. On the right, before each of the two lower windows, turned from the spectator, is a capacious arm-chair, made in cane open-work. Attached to the arms of these chairs are little screens--also made of cane--shielding in a measure the occupants of the chairs from observation. Upon both the right and left arms of these chairs are circular frames, in cane, shaped to receive bowls of water Above each of the screen-chairs stands a smaller chair, set to face the larger one; and beside the small chair, on its right hand, is a low table, upon which are arranged the instruments and toilet necessaries employed in the process of manicure On the right, between the window and the partition is a three-cornered what-not, on which