Barrie, J M - Quality Street Read online

  QUALITY STREET

  THE WORKS OF J. M. BARRIE.

  NOVELS, STORIES, AND SKETCHES. Uniform Edition.

  AULD LIGHT IDYLLS, BETTER DEAD.

  WHEN A MAN'S SINGLE.

  A WINDOW IN THRUMS, AN EDINBURGH

  ELEVEN.

  THE LITTLE MINISTER. SENTIMENTAL TOMMY. MY LADY NICOTINE, MARGARET OGILVY. TOMMY AND GRIZEL. THE LITTLE WHITE BIRD. PETER AND WENDY.

  Also

  HALF HOURS. DBR TAG.

  ECHOES OF WAR.

  PLA VS. Uniform Edition. ALICE SIT-BY-THE-FIRE. WHAT EVERY WOMAN KNOWS. QUALITY STREET. THE ADMIRABLE CRICHTON. ECHOES OF THE WAR.

  Containing : THE OLD LADY SHOWS HER MEDALS THE NEW WORD BAR- BARA'S WEDDING A WELL-REMEM- BERED VOICE. HALF HOURS.

  Containing: PANTALOON THE TWELVE- POUND LOOK ROSALIND THE WILL.

  Others in Preparation. INDIVIDUAL EDITIONS.

  PETER PAN IN KENSINGTON GARDENS.

  Illustrated by ARTHUR RACKHAU. PETER AND WENDY.

  Illustrated by F. D. BEDFORD. TOMMY AND GRIZEL.

  Illustrated by BERNARD PARTRIDGE. MARGARET OGILVY. A WINDOW IN THRUMS. Cameo Edition. DER TAG.

  % For particulars concerning The Thistle Edition of the Works of J. M. BARRJZ, sold only by subscription, send for circular.

  NEW YORK. CHARLES SCRIBNER'S SONS

  THE PLAYS OF

  J. M. BARRIE

  QUALITY STREET

  A COMEDY

  CHARLES SCRIBNER'S SONS

  NEW YORK ::::::::: 1920

  / COPYRIGHT, 1918, BT J. M. BARRIE

  AU rights reserved under the International Copyright Act. Performance forbidden and right of representation reserved. Application for the right of performing this play must be made to Charles Frohman, Inc., Empire Theatre. New York.

  ACT I

  ACT I

  THE BLUE AND WHITE ROOM

  The scene is the blue and white room in the house of the Misses Susan and Phoebe Throssel in Quality Street ; and in this little country town there is a satisfaction about living in Quality Street which even religion cannot give. Through the bowed window at the back we have a glimpse of the street. It is pleasantly broad and grass-grown, and is linked to the outer world by one demure shop, whose door rings a bell every time it opens and shuts. Thus by merely peeping, every one in Quality Street can know at once who has been buying a Whimsy cake, and usually why. This bell is the most familiar sound of Quality Street. Now and again ladies pass in their pattens, a maid perhaps protecting them with an umbrella, for flakes of snow are falling discreetly. Gentlemen in the street are an event ; but, see, just as we raise the curtain, there goes the recruiting sergeant to remind us that we are in the period of the

  Napoleonic wars. If he were to look in at the window

  3

  4 QUALITY STREET [ACT

  of the blue and white room all the ladies there as- sembled would draw themselves up ; they know him for a rude fellow who smiles at the approach of maiden ladies and continues to smile after they have passed. However, he lowers his head to-day so that they shall not see him, his present design being converse with the Misses ThrosseVs maid.

  The room is one seldom profaned by the foot of man, and everything in it is white or blue. Miss Phoebe is not present, but here are Miss Susan, Miss Willoughby and her sister Miss Fanny, and Miss Henrietta Turnbull. Miss Susan and Miss Willoughby, alas, already wear caps ; bid all the four are dear ladies, so refined that we ought not to be discussing them without a more formal introduc- tion. There seems no sufficient reason why we should choose Miss Phoebe as our Jieroine rather than any one of the others, except, perhaps, that we like her name best. But we gave her the name, so we must support our choice and say thai she is slightly the nicest, unless, indeed, Miss Susan is nicer.

  Miss Fanny is reading aloud from a library book while the others sew or knit. They are making garments for our brave soldiers now far away fighting the Corsican Ogre.

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  MISS FANNY. *. . . And so the day passed and evening came, black, mysterious, and ghost-like. The wind moaned unceasingly like a shivering spirit, and the vegetation rustled uneasily as if something weird and terrifying were about to happen. Suddenly out of the darkness there emerged a Man.

  (She says the last word tremulously but without looking up. The listeners knit more quickly.)

  The unhappy Camilla was standing lost in reverie when, without pausing to advertise her of his intentions, he took both her hands in his. (By this time the knitting has stopped, and all are listening as if mesmerised.) Slowly he gathered her in his arms

  (MISS SUSAN gives an excited little cry.)

  MISS FANNY. And rained hot, burning '

  MISS WILLOUGHBY. Sister !

  MISS FANNY (greedily) . ' On eyes, mouth '

  MISS WILLOUGHBY (sternly). Stop. Miss Susan, I am indeed surprised you should bring such an amazing, indelicate tale from the library.

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  MISS SUSAN (with a slight shudder). I deeply regret, Miss Willoughby (Sees MISS FANNY reading quickly to herself.) Oh, Fanny ! If you please, my dear.

  (Takes the book gently from her.)

  MISS WILLOUGHBY. I thank you. (She knits severely.)

  MISS FANNY (a little rebel). Miss Susan is looking at the end.

  (MISS SUSAN closes the book guiltily.)

  MISS SUSAN (apologetically) . Forgive my par- tiality for romance, Mary. I fear 'tis the mark of an old maid.

  MISS WILLOUGHBY. Susan, that word !

  MISS SUSAN (sweetly). 'Tis what I am. And you also, Mary, my dear.

  MISS FANNY (defending her sister). Miss Susan, I protest.

  MISS WILLOUGHBY (sternly truthful). Nay, sister, 'tis true. We are known everywhere now, Susan, you and I, as the old maids of Quality Street. (General discomfort.)

  MISS SUSAN. I am happy Phoebe will not be an old maid.

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  MISS HENEIETTA (wistfully). Do you refer, Miss Susan, to V. B. ?

  (MISS SUSAN smiles happily to herself.) MISS SUSAN. Miss Phoebe of the ringlets as he has called her.

  MISS FANNY. Other females besides Miss Phoebe have ringlets.

  MISS SUSAN. But you and Miss Henrietta have to employ papers, my dear. (Proudly) Phoebe, never.

  MISS WILLOUGHBY (in defence of FANNY). I do not approve of Miss Phoebe at all.

  MISS SUSAN (flushing). Mary, had Phoebe been dying you would have called her an angel, but that is ever the way. 'Tis all jealousy to the bride and good wishes to the corpse. (Her guests rise, hurt.) My love, I beg your pardon.

  MISS WILLOUGHBY. With your permission, Miss Susan, I shall put on my pattens.

  (MISS SUSAN gives permission almost haughtily, and the ladies retire to the bedroom, MISS FANNY remaining behind a moment to ask a question.)

  8 QUALITY STREET [ACT

  MISS FANNY. A bride ? Miss Susan, do you mean that V. B. has declared ?

  MISS SUSAN. Fanny, I expect it hourly. V (MISS SUSAN, left alone, is agitated by the terrible scene with MISS WILLOUGHBY.) (Enter PHOEBE in her bonnet, and we see at once that she really is tlie nicest. She is so flusJied with delightful news that she almost forgets to take off her pattens before crossing the blue and white room.) MISS SUSAN. You seem strangely excited, Phoebe.

  PHOEBE. Susan, I have met a certain individual.

  MISS SUSAN. V. B.? (PHOEBE nods several times, and her gleaming eyes tell MISS SUSAN as much as if they were a romance from the library.) My dear, you are trembling. PHOEBE (bravely). No oh no. MISS SUSAN. You put your hand to your heart. PHOEBE. Did I ?

  MISS SUSAN (in a whisper). My love, has he offered ?

  PHOEBE (appalled). Oh, Susan.


  ij QUALITY STREET 9

  (Enter MISS WILLOUGHBY, partly cloaked.)

  MISS WILLOUGHBY. How do you do, Miss Phoebe. (Portentously) Susan, I have no wish to alarm you, but I am of opinion that there is a man in the house. I suddenly felt it while putting on my pattens.

  MISS SUSAN. You mean a follower in the

  kitchen ? (She courageously rings the bell, but her

  voice falters.) I am just a little afraid of Patty.

  (Enter PATTY, a buxom young woman, who

  loves her mistresses and smiles at them, and

  knows how to terrorise them.)

  Patty, I hope we may not hurt your feelings, but

  PATTY (sternly) . Are you implicating, ma'am, that I have a follower ?

  MISS SUSAN. Oh no, Patty.

  PATTY. So be it.

  MISS SUSAN (ashamed). Patty, come back, (Humbly) I told a falsehood just now; I am ashamed of myself.

  PATTY (severely). As well you might be, ma am.

  PHOEBE (so roused that she would look heroic if

  10 QUALITY STREET [ACT

  she did not spoil the effect by wagging her finger at PATTY). How dare you. There is a man in the kitchen. To the door with him.

  PATTY. A glorious soldier to be so treated !

  PHOEBE. The door.

  PATTY. And if he refuses ? (They looked perplexed.)

  MISS SUSAN. Oh dear !

  PHOEBE. If he refuses send him here to me.

  (Exit PATTY.)

  MISS SUSAN. Lion-hearted Phoebe. MISS WILLOUGHBY. A soldier ? (Nervously) I wish it may not be that impertinent re- cruiting sergeant. I passed him in the street to-day. He closed one of his eyes at me and then quickly opened it. I knew what he meant.

  PHOEBE. He does not come. MISS SUSAN. I think I hear their voices in dispute.

  (She is listening through the floor. They all stoop or go on their knees to listen, and when they are in this position the RECRUIT- ING SERGEANT enters unobserved. He

  i.] QUALITY STREET 11

  chuckles aloud. In a moment PHOEBE is alone with him.)

  SERGEANT (with an Irish accent). Your servant, ma'am.

  PHOEBE (advancing sternly on him). Sir (She is perplexed, as he seems undismayed.)

  Sergeant (She see s mud from his boots on

  the carpet.) Oh ! oh ! (Brushes carpet.) Ser- geant, I am wishful to scold you, but would you be so obliging as to stand on this paper while I do it ?

  SERGEANT. With all the pleasure in life,

  ma'am.

  PHOEBE (forgetting to be angry). Sergeant, have you killed people ?

  SERGEANT. Dozens, ma'am, dozens.

  PHOEBE. How terrible. Oh, sir, I pray every night that the Lord in His loving-kind- ness will root the enemy up. Is it true that the Corsican Ogre eats babies ?

  SERGEANT. I have spoken with them as have seen him do it, ma'am.

  PHOEBE. The Man of Sin. Have you ever seen a vivandiere, sir? (Wistfully) I have

  12 QUALITY STREET [ACT

  sometimes wished there were vivandieres in the British Army. (For a moment she sees her- self as one.) Oh, Sergeant, a shudder goes through me when I see you in the streets enticing those poor young men.

  SERGEANT. If you were one of them, ma'am, and death or glory was the call, you would take the shilling, ma'am.

  PHOEBE. Oh, not for that.

  SERGEANT. For King and Country, ma'am ?

  PHOEBE (grandly). Yes, yes, for that.

  SERGEANT (candidly) . Not that it is all fight- ing. The sack of captured towns the loot.

  PHOEBE (proudly). An English soldier never sacks nor loots.

  SERGEANT. No, ma'am. And then the girls.

  PHOEBE. What girls ?

  SERGEANT. In the towns that that we don't sack.

  PHOEBE. How they must hate the haughty conqueror.

  SERGEANT. We are not so haughty as all that.

  ij QUALITY STREET 13

  PHOEBE (sadly). I think I understand. I am afraid, Sergeant, you do not tell those poor young men the noble things I thought you told them.

  SEKGEANT. Ma'am, I must e'en tell them what they are wishful to hear. There ha' been five, ma'am, all this week, listening to me and then showing me their heels, but by a grand stroke of luck I have them at last.

  PHOEBE. Luck ?

  (MISS SUSAN opens door slightly and listens.)

  SERGEANT. The luck, ma'am, is that a gentleman of the town has enlisted. That gave them the push forward.

  (MISS SUSAN is excited.)

  PHOEBE. A gentleman of this town enlisted ? (Eagerly) Sergeant, who?

  SERGEANT. Nay, ma'am, I think it be a secret as yet.

  PHOEBE. But a gentleman ! 'Tis the most amazing, exciting thing. Sergeant, be so obliging.

  SERGEANT. Nay, ma'am, I can't.

  14 QUALITY STREET [ACT

  MISS SUSAN (at door, carried away by excite- ment). But you must, you must !

  SERGEANT (turning to the door). You see, ma'am

  (The door is hurriedly closed.) PHOEBE (ashamed). Sergeant, I have not been saying the things I meant to say to you. Will you please excuse my turning you out of the house somewhat violently.

  SERGEANT. I am used to it, ma'am. PHOEBE. I won't really hurt you. SERGEANT. Thank you kindly, ma'am. PHOEBE (observing the bedroom door opening a little, and speaking in a loud voice). I protest, sir; we shall permit no followers in this house. Should I discover you in my kitchen again I shall pitch you out neck and crop. Begone, sir. (The SERGEANT retires affably. All the ladies except MISS HENRIETTA come out, admiring PHOEBE. TJie WILLOUGHBYS are attired for their journey across the street.)

  MISS WILLOUGHBY. Miss Phoebe, we could not but admire you.

  i.] QUALITY STREET 15

  (PHOEBE, alas, knows thai she is not admirable.)

  PHOEBE. But the gentleman recruit ? MISS SUSAN. Perhaps they will know who he is at the woollen-drapers. MISS FANNY. Let us inquire.

  (But before they go MISS WILLOUGHBY has a duty to perform.)

  MISS WILLOUGHBY. I wish to apologise. Miss Phoebe, you are a dear, good girl. If I have made remarks about her ringlets, Susan, it was jealousy. (PHOEBE and MISS SUSAN wish to embrace her 9 but she is not in the mood for it.) Come, sister.

  MISS FANNY (the dear woman that she is). Phoebe, dear, I wish you very happy.

  (PHOEBE presses her hand.) MISS HENRIETTA (entering, and not to be out- done). Miss Phoebe, I give you joy.

  (The three ladies go, the two younger ones a little tearfully ', and we see them pass the window.)

  PHOEBE (pained). Susan, you have been talking to them about V. B.

  16 QUALITY STREET [ACT

  MISS SUSAN. I could not help it. (Eagerly) Now, Phoebe, what is it you have to tell me ?

  PHOEBE (in a law voice). Dear, I think it is too holy to speak of.

  MISS SUSAN. To your sister ?

  PHOEBE. Susan, as you know, I was sitting with an unhappy woman whose husband has fallen in the war. When I came out of the cottage lie was passing.

  MISS SUSAN. Yes ?

  PHOEBE. He offered me his escort. At first he was very silent as he has often been of late.

  MISS SUSAN. We know why.

  PHOEBE. Please not to say that I know why. Suddenly he stopped and swung his cane. You know how gallantly he swings his cane.

  MISS SUSAN. Yes, indeed.

  PHOEBE. He said: *I have something I am wishful to tell you, Miss Phoebe; perhaps you can guess what it is.'

  MISS SUSAN. Go on !

  PHOEBE. To say I could guess, sister, would have been unladylike, I said: 'Please not to

  i.] QUALITY STREET 17

  tell me in the public thoroughfare*; to which he instantly replied: 'Then I shall call and tell you this afternoon.' MISS SUSAN. Phoebe !

  (They are interrupted by the entrance of PATTY with tea. They see that she has brought three cups, and know that this is her impertinent way of implying that mistresses, as well as maids, may have a 'follower.' When she has gone they smile at
the daring of the woman, and sit down to tea.)

  PHOEBE. Susan, to think that it has all happened in a single year.

  MISS SUSAN. Such a genteel competency as he can offer; such a desirable establishment.

  PHOEBE. I had no thought of that, dear. I was recalling our first meeting at Mrs. Fother- ingay's quadrille party.

  MISS SUSAN. We had quite forgotten that our respected local physician was growing elderly.

  PHOEBE. Until he said: 'Allow me to

  present my new partner, Mr. Valentine Brown/

  MISS SUSAN. Phoebe, do you remember how

  18 QUALITY STREET [ACT

  at the tea-table he facetiously passed the cake- basket with nothing in it !

  PHOEBE. He was so amusing from the first. I ain thankful, Susan, that I too have a sense of humour. I am exceedingly funny at times; am I not, Susan ?

  MISS SUSAN. Yes, indeed. But he sees humour in the most unexpected things. I say something so ordinary about loving, for instance, to have everything either blue or white in this room, and I know not why he laughs, but it makes me feel quite witty.

  PHOEBE (a little anxiously). I hope he sees nothing odd or quaint about us.

  MISS SUSAN. My dear, I am sure he cannot.

  PHOEBE. Susan, the picnics.

  MISS SUSAN. Phoebe, the day when he first drank tea in this house.

  PHOEBE. He invited himself.

  MISS SUSAN. He merely laughed when I said it would cause such talk.

  PHOEBE. He is absolutely fearless. Susan, he has smoked his pipe in this room. (They are both a little scared.)

  i.] QUALITY STREET 19

  MISS SUSAN. Smoking is indeed a dreadful habit.