The First Series Plays

The First Series Plays, Complete

*** [Contains: The Silver Box, Joy, Strife] *** #39 in our series by
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Title: The First Series Plays, Complete
Author: John Galsworthy
Release Date: February, 2004 [EBook #5055] [Yes, we are more than
one year ahead of schedule] [This file was first posted on April 11,
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*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE FIRST
SERIES PLAYS BY GALSWORTHY ***
This eBook was produced by David Widger

THE FIRST SERIES PLAYS, Complete
By John Galsworthy
Contents: The Silver Box Joy Strife

THE SILVER BOX
A COMEDY IN THREE ACTS
By John Galsworthy

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; she's the char; she works 'ere.
JACK. Jones? [He laughs.] There's 'nother Jones at College with me.
I'm not a Socialist myself; I'm