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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LORD QUEX ***

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THE GAY LORD QUEX [Transcriber's Notes: The following changes
were made to the e-book edition of this book: potégée changed to
protégée, 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 portière. 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