The Thirteenth Chair

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The Thirteenth Chair, by Bayard Veiller

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Title: The Thirteenth Chair
Author: Bayard Veiller
Release Date: November 19, 2004 [eBook #14095]
Language: English
Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1
***START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE THIRTEENTH CHAIR***
E-text prepared by Juliet Sutherland, David Garcia, and the Project Gutenberg Online Distributed Proofreading Team

THE THIRTEENTH CHAIR
A Play in Three Acts
by
BAYARD VEILLER
London, Samuel French, Ltd.
1922

All applications for a licence to perform this play, either by professional or amateur companies, must be made to--
Messrs. Samuel French, Ltd., 26 Southampton Street, Strand, London, W.C.2,
or their authorized representatives.
The fee for the representation by amateurs is Five Guineas.
In the event of more than one performance being given by amateurs, the fee for each and every representation subsequent to the first is Four Guineas. This reduction only applies when the performances are consecutive (evening following evening, or evening following matinée) and at the same theatre or hall.
Upon payment of the fee, a licence will be issued for the performance to take place, and no performance may be given unless this licence has been obtained.
Character costumes and wigs used in the performance of plays contained in French's Acting Edition may be obtained from Messrs. CHARLES H. FOX, Ltd., Acre House, 72 Long Acre, London, W.C.2.
.-==============================-. || THE ABOVE MENTIONED FEE IS || || REDUCED NOW TO THREE GUINEAS || || EACH PERFORMANCE. || '-==============================-'
Made and Printed in Great Britain by Butler & Tanner Ltd., Frome and London.

THE THIRTEENTH CHAIR
Produced at The Duke of York's Theatre, London, on October the 16th, 1917, with the following cast of characters:--
ROSCOE CROSBY Mr. Charles Rock WILLIAM CROSBY Mr. Lionel Belcher EDWARD WALES Mr. Yorke Stephens BRADDISH TRENT Mr. Dennis Wyndham HOWARD STANDISH Mr Vane Sutton-Vane PHILIP MASON Mr. Arthur Finn POLLOCK Mr Charles Bishop INSPECTOR DONOHUE Mr. James Carew SERGEANT DUNN Mr. Frank Harris DOOLAN Mr. Denham Charles HELEN O'NEILL Miss Hilda Bayley MRS. CROSBY Miss Dorothy Hammon MARY EASTWOOD Miss Margaret Moffat HELEN TRENT Miss Ethel Carrington ELIZABETH ERSKINE Miss Grace Darby GRACE STANDISH Miss Gladys Maude MME. ROSALIE LA GRANGE Mrs. Patrick Campbell
The scene throughout the play is the Italian Room in Roscoe Crosby's House, New York. The time is evening. The second act takes place ten minutes later than the first and the third act half an hour later than the second.

[Illustration]

THE THIRTEENTH CHAIR
ACT I
The SCENE is the Italian Room in ROSCOE CROSBY'S Home in New York. It is a handsome room. A plan of the setting will be found at the end of the play. As the curtain rises Miss HELEN O'NEILL and WILLIAM CROSBY are discovered standing R.C. They are in each other's arms, and the rising curtain discloses them as they kiss. The window blinds are drawn.
HELEN. I love you so.
WILLIAM. You are the most wonderful thing in all the world.
(She gives a little laugh and moves away from him a step right.)
HELEN. I can't believe it.
WILLIAM. That I love you?
HELEN. Oh, no, I'm sure of that.
WILLIAM. If there's any doubt in your mind, I'll prove it again.
HELEN. They'll see us. (He takes her in his arms again and kisses her. She laughs happily. And then turning a little stands with her cheek pressed against his.) Oh, my dear, my dear!
(MRS. CROSBY, a fashionably dressed and extremely attractive woman, enters from door down L. She closes the door. She stops for a moment and watches the lovers and then with a little laugh comes toward them. MRS. CROSBY is fifty-five and looks ten years younger. She has charm, beauty and kindliness.)
MRS. CROSBY (coming to C. a step). Don't move, you look so comfortable! (They separate quickly.) Well, are you happy? (To R.C.)
WILLIAM. Oh, mother!
HELEN. Happy!
(MRS. CROSBY crosses to HELEN, pats her hand and stands between WILLIAM and HELEN R.C.)
WILLIAM. Shall we tell 'em all?
MRS. CROSBY. Tell them? (She laughs.) What do you think they are? Blind and deaf? It's been a perfectly wonderful dinner. You were so blind to everything but each other. Oh, Billy, I thought your father would have a fit.
HELEN. I thought he had an awful cold, he was coughing terribly.
MRS. CROSBY. Coughing? He nearly choked to keep from laughing. I told him I'd send him from the table if he laughed at you.
WILLIAM. Why you never spoke to him once.
MRS. CROSBY. Child, explain to him that wives don't have to--Oh, I forget you haven't learned that yet. You know, Billy, I can talk to your father very effectively without words.
(Crosses to below table R.)
HELEN (turning to MRS. CROSBY). Mrs. Crosby--
WILLIAM. Mother, Nell's all fussed up because we've got money. She