The Complete Plays

⿐3
Complete Plays, The

Project Gutenberg EBook of The Complete Plays of John Galsworthy
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Title: The Complete Project Gutenberg Plays of John Galsworthy
Author: John Galsworthy
Release Date: July, 2003 [EBook #4269] [Yes, we are more than one year ahead of schedule] [This file was first posted on December 26, 2001] [This file was last updated on March 17, 2002]
Edition: 11
Language: English
Character set encoding: ASCII

*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG COMPLETE PLAYS OF JOHN GALSWORTHY ***

This eBook was produced by David Widger

THE COMPLETE PLAYS OF JOHN GALSWORTHY
CONTENTS:
First Series: The Silver Box Joy Strife
Second Series: The Eldest Son The Little Dream Justice
Third Series: The Fugitive The Pigeon The Mob
Fourth Series: A Bit O' Love The Foundations The Skin Game
Six Short Plays: The First and The Last The Little Man Hall-marked Defeat The Sun Punch and Go
Fifth Series: A Family Man Loyalties Windows

FIRST SERIES THE SILVER BOX JOY STRIFE
THE SILVER BOX
A COMEDY IN THREE ACTS

PERSONS OF THE PLAY
JOHN BARTHWICK, M.P., a wealthy Liberal MRS. BARTHWICK, his wife JACK BARTHWICK, their son ROPER, their solicitor MRS. JONES, their charwoman MARLOW, their manservant WHEELER, their maidservant JONES, the stranger within their gates MRS. SEDDON, a landlady SNOW, a detective A POLICE MAGISTRATE AN UNKNOWN LADY, from beyond TWO LITTLE GIRLS, homeless LIVENS, their father A RELIEVING OFFICER A MAGISTRATE'S CLERK AN USHER POLICEMEN, CLERKS, AND OTHERS
TIME: The present. The action of the first two Acts takes place on Easter Tuesday; the action of the third on Easter Wednesday week.
ACT I. SCENE I. Rockingham Gate. John Barthwick's dining-room. SCENE II. The same. SCENE III. The same.
ACT II. SCENE I. The Jones's lodgings, Merthyr Street. SCENE II. John Barthwick's dining-room.
ACT III. A London police court.

ACT I
SCENE I
The curtain rises on the BARTHWICK'S dining-room, large, modern, and well furnished; the window curtains drawn. Electric light is burning. On the large round dining-table is set out a tray with whisky, a syphon, and a silver cigarette-box. It is past midnight.
A fumbling is heard outside the door. It is opened suddenly; JACK BARTHWICK seems to fall into the room. He stands holding by the door knob, staring before him, with a beatific smile. He is in evening dress and opera hat, and carries in his hand a sky-blue velvet lady's reticule. His boyish face is freshly coloured and clean-shaven. An overcoat is hanging on his arm.
JACK. Hello! I've got home all ri----[Defiantly.] Who says I sh 'd never 've opened th' door without 'sistance. [He staggers in, fumbling with the reticule. A lady's handkerchief and purse of crimson silk fall out.] Serve her joll' well right--everything droppin' out. Th' cat. I 've scored her off--I 've got her bag. [He swings the reticule.] Serves her joly' well right. [He takes a cigarette out of the silver box and puts it in his mouth.] Never gave tha' fellow anything! [He hunts through all his pockets and pulls a shilling out; it drops and rolls away. He looks for it.] Beastly shilling! [He looks again.] Base ingratitude! Absolutely nothing. [He laughs.] Mus' tell him I've got absolutely nothing.
[He lurches through the door and down a corridor, and presently returns, followed by JONES, who is advanced in liquor. JONES, about thirty years of age, has hollow cheeks, black circles round his eyes, and rusty clothes: He looks as though he might be unemployed, and enters in a hang-dog manner.]
JACK. Sh! sh! sh! Don't you make a noise, whatever you do. Shu' the door, an' have a drink. [Very solemnly.] You helped me to open the door--I 've got nothin, for you. This is my house. My father's name's Barthwick; he's Member of Parliament--Liberal Member of Parliament: I've told you that before. Have a drink! [He pours out whisky and drinks it up.] I'm not drunk [Subsiding on a sofa.] Tha's all right. Wha's your name? My name's Barthwick, so's my father's; I'm a Liberal too--wha're you?
JONES. [In a thick, sardonic voice.] I'm a bloomin' Conservative. My name's Jones! My wife works 'ere;