Complete Plays of John Galsworthy eBook

This eBook from the Gutenberg Project consists of approximately 1,284 pages of information about Complete Plays of John Galsworthy.

Complete Plays of John Galsworthy eBook

This eBook from the Gutenberg Project consists of approximately 1,284 pages of information about Complete Plays of John Galsworthy.

Dick. [Bandaging her forehead.] I can’t bear you to feel bad; it puts me off completely.  I mean I don’t generally make a fuss about people, but when it ’s you——­

Joy. [Suddenly.] I’m all right.

Dick.  Is that comfy?

Joy. [With her chin up, and her eyes fast closed.] Quite.

Dick.  I’m not going to stay and worry you.  You ought to rest.  Only, Joy!  Look here!  If you want me to do anything for you, any time——­

Joy. [Half opening her eyes.] Only to go away.

     [Dick bites his lips and walks away.]

Dick—­[softly]—­Dick!

     [Dick stops.]

I didn’t mean that; will you get me some water-irises for this evening?

Dick.  Won’t I? [He goes to the hollow tree and from its darkness takes a bucket and a boat-hook.] I know where there are some rippers!

     [Joy stays unmoving with her eyes half closed.]

Are you sure you ’re all right.  Joy?  You ’ll just rest here in the shade, won’t you, till I come back?—­it ’ll do you no end of good.  I shan’t be twenty minutes.

     [He goes, but cannot help returning softly, to make sure.]

You’re quite sure you ’re all right?

     [Joy nods.  He goes away towards the river.  But there is no
     rest for joy.  The voices of Mrs. Gwyn and lever are heard
     returning.]

Joy. [With a gesture of anger.] Hateful!  Hateful!

     [She runs away.]

     [Mrs. Gwyn and lever are seen approaching; they pass the tree,
     in conversation.]

Mrs. Gwyn.  But I don’t see why, Maurice.

Lever.  We mean to sell the mine; we must do some more work on it, and for that we must have money.

Mrs. Gwyn.  If you only want a little, I should have thought you could have got it in a minute in the City.

Lever. [Shaking his head.] No, no; we must get it privately.

Mrs. Gwyn. [Doubtfully.] Oh! [She slowly adds.] Then it isn’t such a good thing!

     [And she does not look at him.]

Lever.  Well, we mean to sell it.

Mrs. Gwyn.  What about the people who buy?

Lever. [Dubiously regarding her.] My dear girl, they’ve just as much chance as we had.  It ’s not my business to think of them.  There’s your thousand pounds——­

Mrs. Gwyn. [Softly.] Don’t bother about my money, Maurice.  I don’t want you to do anything not quite——­

Lever. [Evasively.] Oh!  There’s my brother’s and my sister’s too.  I ’m not going to let any of you run any risk.  When we all went in for it the thing looked splendid; it ’s only the last month that we ’ve had doubts.  What bothers me now is your Uncle.  I don’t want him to take these shares.  It looks as if I’d come here on purpose.

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Complete Plays of John Galsworthy from Project Gutenberg. Public domain.