The Complete Plays of J. M. Barrie - 30 Titles in One Edition. Джеймс Барри

me up wrong!

      KIT. He is too much a man to insist on keeping you to your promise!

      BELL. He is noble! But it will crush him, Kit!

      JASPER. I could break it to her gently, and I will, too!

      KIT. Go on deck, dear, until I have spoken to him. None of the others are there, are they?

      BELL. No, there is no one on deck.

      KIT. Then wait for me there. (She is about to do so) Or get into the punt and push off a little!

      BELL. Yes. (Gets into punt.)

      KIT. And Bell, prove that your mind is made up at last by repeating the words I used.

      BELL. What words?

      KIT. Damn logic!

      BELL. Oh!

      KIT. Logic has been the curse of our love. Bell, say it and be free!

      BELL. I can’t say it!

      KIT. Yes, say it!

      (She hesitates, then whispers in his ear.)

      Good!

      (She pushes off in punt and he watches her.)

      And now for the poor Colonel!

      JASPER. I’ll tell her I was dizzy at the time!

      (Leaves bedroom and comes to bow. KIT leaves bow to come to jasper. They meet in saloon.) I want to speak with Miss Golightly.

      KIT. With me first, Colonel Neil, please.

      JASPER. I wanted Miss Golightly! (Sits.)

      KIT. And I want her also!

      JASPER (turning back). Eh?

      KIT. Colonel Neil, I have something to say that will give you great pain.

      JASPER (aside). Has he remembered where he saw me before?

      KIT. You are a brave man!

      JASPER. No, he hasn’t!

      KIT. And you saved Miss Golightly’s life!

      JASPER. It was nothing.

      KIT. Nothing, I believe, to what I have now to ask of you. Miss Golightly has told me of your engagement to her.

      JASPER. Mr. Upjohn, I never thought she would accept me — if —

      KIT. You are too modest. But you know, sir, young girls often mistake their feelings, especially when they have cause for gratitude and — (Turning into bow) — and, in short, Miss Golightly has made such a mistake!

      JASPER. What? (Rises, and follows into bow.)

      KIT. She has commissioned me to ask you to surrender your claims to her hand. (Sits on bow.)

      JASPER. She wants to give me up? KIT. Yes.

      JASPER. Say it again.

      KIT. She does not love you.

      JASPER. She told you to say this?

      KIT. Yes.

      JASPER. She loves you.

      KIT. She does. Do you liberate her?

      JASPER. Certainly!

      KIT (grasping his hand, rises). You are a noble fellow.

      JASPER. It is nothing.

      KIT. A hero!

      JASPER. Her happiness is all I think of.

      KIT. NO other person in the boat, I understand, knows of your engagement to her, and you may be sure no one will ever hear of it from me.

      JASPER. Be good to her, Upjohn.

      (Enter saloon.)

      KIT (aside). Poor fellow! (Signs to BELL to come back.)

      JASPER (re-entering saloon). Hurray! That’s all right!

      (Exit.)

      BELL (draws up in punt and boards). What did he say?

      KIT. Behaved magnificently. Bell, you are mine — forgive me for saying ‘mine,’ for it implies ownership. I have thought our quarrel over, and I see that you were right and I was wrong.

      BELL. I am so glad to hear you say that — because it was I who was wrong.

      KIT. My darling! — I beg your pardon!

      BELL. Why?

      KIT. Because you don’t like the word!

      BELL. I think I could get used to it!

      KIT. AS for politics —

      BELL. Let us treat them as if — as if they were logic!

      KIT. And I promise never to call you pretty.

      BELL. Not before the servants.

      KIT. Nor to indulge in this sort of folly! (Kisses her.)

      BELL. Except now and again.

      KIT. Our love shall be an intellectual exercise.

      BELL. Rational and adult!

      KIT. Why should men cease to be reasonable beings when they are engaged?

      BELL. Or women behave as infants?

      KIT. Let it be our part to prove that this is mere convention.

      BELL. As it assuredly is.

      KIT (taking her head in his hands and speaking with great solemnity). Does ‘oo love me, ‘ittle pet?

      BELL (with great solemnity).’Es, me loves ‘oo. Does ‘oc love me? (Nestles closer to him.)

      JASPER (enters saloon). I feel as if I could dance.

      (KIT on plank.)

      (Aside) I’d better go on deck!

      (They turn round.)

      BELL (starting up). Colonel Neil, dear Colonel Neil, oh! I cannot look you in the face!

      JASPER. Ah! (Pulling a long face.)

      BELL. YOU will not leave the houseboat?

      JASPER. Perhaps it would be better.

      BELL. Stay, dear Colonel Neil, and let me be a sister to you.

      (jasper sighs and ascends ladder bell and kit then go on board and sit foot of ladder.)

      JASPER (at top of ladder is swaggering along deck when he sees sarah. He recoils and gasps). S — S — Sarah! (Retreats from her, then goes back on tiptoe.) She’s asleep! She must have come here when we were away. Sarah, I’ll bolt!

      (Hastens to top of ladder and comes to standstill at sight of KIT and BELL.)

      They would see me! They may come on deck at any moment! I can’t get away — and I can’t stay here! I must waken her — but I dare not! She would tell them everything! I must — I mustn’t! (Goes in anguish between SARAH and ladder — groans)

      Oh lor’, what am I to do?

      BELL. Kit, how selfish we are, not giving a thought to Colonel Neil; listen to him on deck in agony — agony I am responsible for!

      KIT. Poor beggar — he is very hard hit!

      BELL. Kit, the least I can do is to be nice to him. I will go up! (Begins to ascend ladder.) Colonel!

      JASPER. She’s coming