The time is morning,and the scene a level lawn,beyond which the river is running amongst fields.A huge old beech tree overshadows everything,in the darkness of whose hollow many things are hidden.A rustic seat encircles it.A low wall clothed in creepers,with two openings,divides this lawn from the flowery approaches to the house.Close to the wall there is a swing.The sky is clear and sunny.COLONEL HOPE is seated in a garden-chair,reading a newspaper through pince-nez.He is fifty-five and bald,with drooping grey moustaches and a weather-darkened face.He wears a flannel suit and a hat from Panama;a tennis racquet leans against his chair.MRS.HOPEcomes quickly through the opening of the wall,with roses in her hands.She is going grey;she wears tan gauntlets,and no hat.
Her manner is decided,her voice emphatic,as though aware that there is no nonsense in its owner's composition.Screened from sight,MISS BEECH is seated behind the hollow tree;and JOY is perched on a lower branch hidden by foliage.
MRS.HOPE.I told Molly in my letter that she'd have to walk up,Tom.
COLONEL.Walk up in this heat?My dear,why didn't you order Benson's fly?
MRS.HOPE.Expense for nothing!Bob can bring up her things in the barrow.I've told Joy I won't have her going down to meet the train.
She's so excited about her mother's coming there's no doing anything with her.
COLONEL.No wonder,after two months.
MRS.HOPE.Well,she's going home to-morrow;she must just keep herself fresh for the dancing tonight.I'm not going to get people in to dance,and have Joy worn out before they begin.
COLONEL.[Dropping his paper.]I don't like Molly's walking up.
MRS.HOPE.A great strong woman like Molly Gwyn!It isn't half a mile.
COLONEL.I don't like it,Nell;it's not hospitable.
MRS.HOPE.Rubbish!If you want to throw away money,you must just find some better investment than those wretched 3per cents.of yours.The greenflies are in my roses already!Did you ever see anything so disgusting?[They bend over the roses they have grown,and lose all sense of everything.]Where's the syringe?I saw you mooning about with it last night,Tom.
COLONEL.[Uneasily.]Mooning!
[He retires behind his paper.MRS.HOPE enters the hollow of the tree.]
There's an account of that West Australian swindle.Set of ruffians!
Listen to this,Nell!"It is understood that amongst the share-holders are large numbers of women,clergymen,and Army officers."How people can be such fools!
[Becoming aware that his absorption is unobserved,he drops his glasses,and reverses his chair towards the tree.]
MRS.HOPE.[Reappearing with a garden syringe.I simply won't have **** keep his fishing things in the tree;there's a whole potful of disgusting worms.I can't touch them.You must go and take 'em out,Tom.
[In his turn the COLONEL enters the hollow of the tree.]
MRS.HOPE.[Personally.]What on earth's the pleasure of it?Ican't see!He never catches anything worth eating.
[The COLONEL reappears with a paint pot full of worms;he holds them out abstractedly.]
MRS.HOPE.[Jumping.]Don't put them near me!
MISS BEECH.[From behind the tree.]Don't hurt the poor creatures.
COLONEL.[Turning.]Hallo,Peachey?What are you doing round there?
[He puts the worms down on the seat.]
MRS.HOPE.Tom,take the worms off that seat at once!
COLONEL.[Somewhat flurried.]Good gad!I don't know what to do with the beastly worms!
MRS.HOPE.It's not my business to look after ****'s worms.Don't put them on the ground.I won't have them anywhere where they can crawl about.[She flicks some greenflies off her roses.]
COLONEL.[Looking into the pot as though the worms could tell him where to put them.]Dash!
MISS BEECH.Give them to me.
MRS.HOPE.[Relieved.]Yes,give them to Peachey.
[There comes from round the tree Miss BEECH,old-fashioned,barrel-shaped,balloony in the skirts.She takes the paint pot,and sits beside it on the rustic seat.]
MISS BEECH.Poor creatures!
MRS.HOPE.Well,it's beyond me how you can make pets of worms-wriggling,crawling,horrible things!
[ROSE,who is young and comely,in a pale print frock,comes from the house and places letters before her on a silver salver.]
[Taking the letters.]
What about Miss joy's frock,Rose?
ROSE.Please,'m,I can't get on with the back without Miss Joy.
MRS.HOPE.Well,then you must just find her.I don't know where she is.
ROSE.[In a slow,sidelong manner.]If you please,Mum,I think Miss Joy's up in the--[She stops,seeing Miss BEECH signing to her with both hands.]
MRS.HOPE.[Sharply.]What is it,Peachey?
MISS BEECH.[Selecting a finger.]Pricked meself!
MRS.HOPE.Let's look!
[She bends to look,but Miss BEECH places the finger in her mouth.]
ROSE.[Glancing askance at the COLONEL.]If you please,Mum,it's below the waist;I think I can manage with the dummy.
MRS.HOPE.Well,you can try.[Opening her letter as ROSE retires.]
Here's Molly about her train.
MISS BEECH.Is there a letter for me?
MRS.HOPE.No,Peachey.
MISS BEECH.There never is.
COLONEL.What's that?You got four by the first post.
MISS BEECH.Exceptions!
COLONEL.[Looking over his glasses.]Why!You know,you get 'em every day!
MRS.HOPE.Molly says she'll be down by the eleven thirty.[In an injured voice.]She'll be here in half an hour![Reading with disapproval from the letter.]"MAURICE LEVER is coming down by the same train to see Mr.Henty about the Tocopala Gold Mine.Could you give him a bed for the night?"[Silence,slight but ominous.]
COLONEL.[Calling into his aid his sacred hospitality.]Of course we must give him a bed!
MRS.HOPE.Just like a man!What room I should like to know!
COLONEL.Pink.
MRS.HOPE.As if Molly wouldn't have the pink!
COLONEL.[Ruefully.]I thought she'd have the blue!
MRS.HOPE.You know perfectly well it's full of earwigs,Tom.I killed ten there yesterday morning.
MISS BEECH.Poor creatures!
MRS.HOPE.I don't know that I approve of this Mr.Lever's dancing attendance.Molly's only thirty-six.