The Cabinet Minister: A farce in four acts — John Shaqi
The Cabinet Minister: A farce in four actsPinero, Arthur Wing
General
The Cabinet Minister: A farce in four acts
Pinero, Arthur Wing
Comedy plays; English drama -- 19th century
[Replacing the toys in the box.] You see, Val.
VALENTINE WHITE.
I see you have some affection for the time when you were not Miss
Twombley, but only--little Jenny.
IMOGEN.
Ah!
VALENTINE WHITE.
Not that these old dumb things prove much.
IMOGEN.
Oh, Val!
VALENTINE WHITE.
They prove their own existence--not the existence of little Jenny.
IMOGEN.
[Crying.] How unjust you are!
VALENTINE WHITE.
Perhaps. But your words and actions are so unlike.
IMOGEN.
[Wiping her eyes upon the doll's frock.] No, no.
VALENTINE WHITE.
I fancy we are children again when I hear you; but when I see your prim
figure and stately walk I miss the little girl whose hair never
submitted to a ribbon or a hairpin----
IMOGEN.
Oh!
[Impulsively she lets down her hair and disorders it wildly.]
VALENTINE WHITE.
[Not observing her.] I miss the little Jenny with a tumbled frock [She
quickly disarranges her bow and sash.], the thoughtless romp who was
generally minus one shoe!
IMOGEN.
[Fiercely.] Valentine!
[She takes off a shoe and flings it away.]
VALENTINE WHITE.
Jenny!
IMOGEN.
Now! play! play marbles!
VALENTINE WHITE.
What!
IMOGEN.
Play marbles!
[They go down upon their knees, she deliberately arranges the marbles
for the game, he staring at her blankly.]
IMOGEN.
My mark--play.
VALENTINE WHITE.
I beg your pardon, Jenny--I've been all wrong.
IMOGEN.
You have indeed, Val. Play. [He plays seriously.] Not within a mile of
it.
VALENTINE WHITE.
My eye is quite out.
IMOGEN.
My turn.
VALENTINE WHITE.
By Jupiter, you're still a crack at it!
IMOGEN.
Am I? Then which of us has changed--you or I? [She lays her hand on
his.] Val, don't go away and live in a rock.
VALENTINE WHITE.
What am I to do? I'm poor, Jenny, and I suppose I'm crazy.
IMOGEN.
Any sort of horrid life would suit you, wouldn't it?
VALENTINE WHITE.
I suppose it would.
IMOGEN.
Then ask Lord Drumdurris to make you a bailiff or a head gamekeeper at
Drumdurris.
VALENTINE WHITE.
Not rough enough.
IMOGEN.
Why, you could get dreadfully dirty and wet through there every day.
VALENTINE WHITE.
That's true.
IMOGEN.
And, Val, we're all going up to Drumdurris next month.
VALENTINE WHITE.
Are you?
IMOGEN.
Yes, and if you like, I--I'll bring the marbles.
[BROOKE enters.]
BROOKE TWOMBLEY.
Imogen! Oh, I say! what?
VALENTINE WHITE.
Do you ever play marbles now, Brooke?
[DRUMDURRIS enters.]
BROOKE TWOMBLEY.
Marbles, no! Billiards.
[VALENTINE collects the marbles, and puts them into the box.]
IMOGEN.
[To DRUMDURRIS.] Keith! Oh, Keith, do me a favour!
EARL OF DRUMDURRIS.
Certainly.
IMOGEN.
Offer my poor cousin, Mr. White, some post in or about Drumdurris
Castle.
EARL OF DRUMDURRIS.
What kind of post?
IMOGEN.
Some wretched, inferior position in which he needn't be very polite.
EARL OF DRUMDURRIS.
What will he say if I propose such a thing?
IMOGEN.
He'll be extremely rude, I think. But, oh, I shall be so grateful,
Keith.
[LADY TWOMBLEY enters.]
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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