Six Plays by Lady Florence Henrietta Fisher Darwin Part 55

LORD CULLEN. A handful of gold, my boy, if you lead me rightly.

[JOCKIE leads the way to the tree where SUSAN is sitting. She stands up as LORD CULLEN approaches, and for a moment they gaze at one another in silence.

GRANDMOTHER. You might curtsey to the gentleman, Susan.

LORD CULLEN. No--there's no need of that, from her to me. [Turning to JOCKIE and putting his hand in his pocket.] Here, my boy, is a golden pound for you--and more shall follow later.

[He then takes SUSAN'S hand and leads her to the foot of the dais.

LORD CULLEN. Will you dance for me again, Susan?

SEVERAL OF THE GIRLS. [Mockingly.] Princess Royal is her name.

MARION. [Rudely.] Or Princess Rags.

SUSAN. 'Tis all took out of my hands now, I can but do as your lords.h.i.+p says. Jockie, play me my music, and play it bravely too.

[JOCKIE places himself near her and begins to play. SUSAN dances by herself. At the end of her dance LORD CULLEN leads the applause, and even the ladies on the dais join faintly in it. He then takes SUSAN by the hand and mounts the dais with her and presents her to his mother.

LADY CULLEN. [Aside, to her companion.] I wonder if the young person understands that my poor boy is a little touched in the brain?

LORD CULLEN. Here is your daughter, mother.

[LADY CULLEN and SUSAN look at one another in silence. After a moment SUSAN turns to LORD CULLEN.

SUSAN. I'm a poor ragged thing to be daughter to the likes of she.

But the heart within of me is grander nor that of any queen, because of the love that it holds for you, my lord.

[LORD CULLEN takes her hand and leads her to the front of the dais.

LORD CULLEN. We will be married to-morrow, my princess. And all these good people shall dance at our wedding.

MARION. [Springing up.] And we'll do a bit of dancing now as well.

Come, Jockie, give us the tune of "Haste to the Wedding."

ROSE. That's it. Come girls -

LADY MILLICENT. [To ALICE.] I pray he won't find out about me.

[The old GRANDMOTHER has come slowly towards the middle of the green.

GRANDMOTHER. Ah, and my little wench will know how to pay back some of the vipers tongues which slandered her, when she sits on her velvet chair as a countess, the diamonds a-trickling from her neck and the rubies a-crowning of her head. Her'll not forget the snakes what did lie in the gra.s.s. Her'll have her heel upon they, so that their heads be put low and there shan't go no more venom from their great jaws to harm she, my pretty lamb--my little turtle.

[The music begins to play and all those on the green form themselves for the dance. LORD CULLEN and SUSAN stand side by side in front of the dais, and the GRANDMOTHER lights a pipe and smokes it as she watches the dance from below. At the end of the dance LORD CULLEN, leading SUSAN, comes down from the dais and, followed by LADY CULLEN and her ladies, pa.s.ses between two lines of girls and so off the stage. The girls follow in procession, and lastly the GRANDMOTHER preceded by JOCKIE, beating his drum.

[Curtain.]

THE SEEDS OF LOVE

CHARACTERS

JOHN DANIEL, aged 30, a Miller.

ROSE-ANNA his sister.

KITTY, aged 16, his sister.

ROBERT PEARCE, aged 26.

LIZ, JANE elderly cousins of Robert.

JEREMY, John's servant--of middle age.

MARY MEADOWS, aged 24, a Herbalist.

LUBIN.

ISABEL.

The time is Midsummer.

ACT I

A woodland road outside MARY'S cottage. There are rough seats in the porch and in front of the window. Bunches of leaves and herbs hang drying around door and window. MARY is heard singing within.

MARY. [Singing.]

I sowed the seeds of Love, And I sowed them in the Spring.

I gathered them up in the morning so soon.

While the sweet birds so sweetly sing, While the sweet birds so sweetly sing. {2}

[MARY comes out of the cottage, a bundle of enchanter's nightshade in her arms. She hangs it by a string to the wall and then goes indoors.

MARY. [Singing.]

The violet I did not like, Because it bloomed so soon; The lily and the pink I really over think, So I vowed I would wait till June, So I vowed I would wait till June.

[During the singing LUBIN comes slowly and heavily along the road.

He wears the dress of a farm labourer and carries a scythe over his shoulder. In front of the cottage he pauses, looks round doubtfully, and then sits stiffly and wearily down on the bench beneath the window.

MARY. [Coming to the doorway with more plants and singing.]

"For the gra.s.s that has oftentimes been trampled underfoot, Give it time, it will rise up again."

LUBIN. [Looking up gloomily.] And that it won't, mistress.

MARY. [Suddenly perceiving him and coming out.] O you are fair spent from journeying. Can I do anything for you, master?