The Squire | Page 2

Here goes! Confound the Squire! (he drinks, gives back mug and holds out hand for coin. She puts mug on table) Coin for tobacco.
{Chris.} Don't spend your money on tobacco, darling. Have a meal.
{Izod.} I had a meal yesterday, mid-day. (proudly) I earned two shillings in half-an-hour.
{Chris.} Good gracious! How?
{Izod.} (walking R., and back) I and old Mrs. Thorndyke's gardener carried a sick woman on a litter from Pagley Railway Station to the White Lion, at Market-Sinfield. Oh, she was a weight! (sits R. of L., table)
{Chris.} Carried a sick woman on a litter? (leans against table L., of it)
{Izod.} The railway journey had upset her, and the doctor said she was too ill to be shook up on the roadway.
{Chris.} A common woman or a lady?
{Izod.} A lady--jolly dark, jolly pretty, and jolly ill.
{Chris.} (curiously) What does she do at an inn in Market-Sinfield? (sits on table)
{Izod.} She gave out that she was a stranger in these parts, and wanted to see a clergyman. She was a weight!
{Chris.} Well?
{Izod.} So I fetched Mr. Dormer, the mad parson.
{Chris.} Did he go to her?
{Izod.} I dunno. Coin for tobacco! (rises)
(Izod goes up to arch.)
{Chris.} I've only got a little money. I'll fetch it, dear, (she takes up mug reflectively) A pretty lady in Market-Sinfield--very dark, very ill, and among strangers, (sighing) How unlucky all dark women seem to be!
{Izod.} Coin for tobacco! (rapping table)
{Chris.} (starting) Oh, yes, dear.
(She goes off L., Izod again produces the keys and jingles them on the table.)
{Izod.} (glancing in the direction of door R., C.) Keys! and a name cut on the key-ring, (shaking them) What sort of a tune do they play, I wonder? (rises)
(Chris, re-enters carrying a small purse. She comes L. of table, and empties the contents into his R. hand.)
(counting money) Five bob.
{Chris.} Leave me a little.
{Izod.} (pocketing money) There's a shilling for you. I'll pay you what I owe you when you coax the squire to employ me regularly on the farm, (goes to R., C.)
{Chris.} (C.) That'll never be--I've tried.
{Izod.} Have you? (showing bunch of keys) Look there. Don't snatch; read the name on the ring. (showing the ring only)
(She examines the ring, which he still holds fast.) {Chris.} The name of the man who is always hanging about this place, (quickly) Where did you get this?
(Gilbert Hythe appears in the archway from L.; as he enters, they separate, Izod to R., she to L.)
{Gil.} Is the Squire indoors, Christie? (He comes down C. He is a fine, strapping fellow, about thirty, dressed roughly in an old velvet jacket, cords and gaiters. He carries a light double-barrelled gun)
{Chris.} (L.) Yes, Mr. Hythe.
{Gil.} (C, seeing Izod) What the devil are you doing here?
{Izod.} (R.) Nothing.
{Gil.} That's what you're always doing everywhere. Get out!
{Izod.} (defiantly) I cleaned the windows here last Tuesday, and I haven't been paid for it.
{Gil.} That's a lie. (goes towards him)
{Izod.} Well, then, I have been paid for it, and I've come to visit my dear sister.
{Gil.} Look here, Izod, I've had half an hour at the ricks this morning, ferreting the rats. A man shoots rats because they are vermin--it's lucky for you, and idlers like you, that you're on two legs instead of four.
{Chris.} For shame, Gilbert Hythe; I'm his sister. (goes to C.)
{Gil.} I beg your pardon, Christie; I ought to have held my tongue before you. Look here, Izod, my lad, you know that the Squire can't bear the sight of loafers and ne'er-do-wells. Why don't you go where you're welcome? (goes up stage to archway)
{Izod.} Where's that? I've mislaid the address. (Christie goes to L.)
{Gil.} (in archway) Christie, tell the Squire that I have brought two men with me--young Rob Johns, the fiddler's son, and a newspaper chap.
{Chris.} (at L., C.) Very well. And your dinner is waiting for you, Mr. Hythe, (pointing to door L.) and has been this half-hour.
{Gil.} My dinner--oh, yes. Izod, old fellow, eat my dinner for me; I'm busy.
{Chris.} (gratefully) Thank you, Mr. Hythe.
{Gil.} And then pull yourself together, man, and work.
(Gil. goes off up stage, through archway. Chris. comes quickly to Izod, who gets to C. Christie goes up stage and looks after Gilbert.)
{Chris.} Tell me, dear, dear, dear, where did you find that key ring?
(Izod looks round cautiously.)
{Izod.} (pointing to windows above archway) I cleaned those windows here last week, and badly paid I was for the job.
{Chris.} Well?
{Izod.} On that beam which is broad enough for a man to crawl along, I found this bunch of keys.
{Chris.} What does that mean?
{Izod.} Look here, (he goes up stage R. C., to the stonework which runs up to the coping) Do you see this? An easy flight of steps up to that window sill.
{Chris.} What of it?
{Izod.} (pointing to the ivy running up the wall) The ivy