Night Must Fall : a Play in Three Acts - LightNovelsOnl.com
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DORA (_lugubriously_): O.K.
OLIVIA (_rummaging in the pocket-book_): Bus ticket to Thorburton, some snaps ...
MRS. TERENCE: Look at 'er _bust_!
OLIVIA: Here's a group.... Look, Hubert....
HUBERT _joins her in front of the table._
HUBERT: This wench is rather fetching.
MRS. TERENCE (_crowding between them_): Look at _'er_!... The impudence, 'er being taken in a bathing-suit!...
DORA: He's not in this one, is 'e?
HUBERT (_impressed_): Oh, I say ... there _she_ is!
MRS. TERENCE and DORA: who?
HUBERT: The missing female! In front of the tall man.... You remember the photograph of her in the _Mirror_?
DORA: It's awful to think she may be dead. Awful....
MRS. TERENCE: Looks ever so s.e.xy, doesn't she?
DORA: 'Ere's one of a little boy--
OLIVIA: How extraordinary....
HUBERT: What?
OLIVIA: It's himself.
DORA: The little Eton collar.... Oh, dear ... ever so sweet, isn't it?
MRS. TERENCE: Now that's what I call a real innocent face....
HUBERT (_going to the centre of the room_): Well, that's that....
OLIVIA: Wait a minute, wasn't there another one? (_Seeing the hat-box_) Oh, yes....
HUBERT (_lifting it on to a chair_): Oh, this; yes....
DORA: Old-fas.h.i.+oned, isn't it?
MRS. TERENCE: I should think he got it from a box-room at the Tallboys--
OLIVIA (_puzzled_): But it looks so extraordinary--(_She gives a sudden gasp.)
They look at her. She is staring at the box. A pause._
HUBERT: What is it?
OLIVIA: I don't know.... Suppose there is something ... inside it?
_A pause. They stare at her, fascinated by her thought. The front door bangs. They are electrified into action: but it is too late. It is_ DAN. _He goes briskly to the table._
DAN: She wants to sit in the sun now and have a bit of _East Lynne_. Talk about changin' your mind--
_He sees the suitcases on the table before him, and is motionless and silent. A pause. The others dare not move. He finally breaks the situation, takes up "East Lynne" from the table, and walks slowly back to the front door. He stops, looks round at_ HUBERT, _smiles, and comes down to him. His manner is normal--too normal._
Could I have it back, please? It's the only one I got....
HUBERT: Oh ... yes, of course.... (_Handing him the pocket-book._)
DAN (_taking it_): Thank you very much.
HUBERT: Not at all ... I ... (_To_ OLIVIA) Here, you deal with this. It's beyond me.
DAN (_to him_): Did you see the picture of me when I was a little fellow?
HUBERT: Yes.... Very jolly.
DAN (_turning to_ MRS. TERENCE): Did _you?_ It was in the inside of my wallet.
MRS. TERENCE: Oh ... was it?
DAN: Yes. Where I should be keeping my money, only any bit of money I have I always keep _on_ me. (_Turning to_ HUBERT) Safer, don't you think?
HUBERT (_smiling weakly_): Ye-es....
DAN: I only keep one ten-bob note in this wallet, for emergencies....
(_Looking_) That's funny. It's gone.
_He looks at_ HUBERT. _The others look blankly at one another._ ... I expect I dropped it somewhere.... What did you think of the letter?
HUBERT: Letter?
DAN: You got in your hand.
HUBERT: Well, I didn't--er--
DAN: Means well, does Lil; but we had a row. (_Taking back the letter_) She would spy on me. And if there's anythin' I hate, it's spyin'. Don't you agree?
HUBERT: Ye-es.
DAN: I'd sooner have anythin' than a spy. (_To_ MRS. TERENCE) Bar a murderer, o' course.
_A pause. He is arranging his property in his wallet._
