W. SOMERSET MAUGHAM THE CIRCLE Plays: THE EXPLORER MRS. DOT A MAN OF HONOUR PENELOPE JACK STRAW LADY FREDERICK THE TENTH MAN LANDED GENTRY THE UNKNOWN SMITH Novels: OF HUMAN BONDAGE THE MOON AND SIXPENCE THE TREMBLING OF A LEAF LIZA OF LAMBETH MRS. CADDOCK THE EXPLORER THE MAGICIAN THE MERRY-GO-ROUND THE LAND OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN (_Sketches and Impressions in Andalusia_) THE CIRCLE A COMEDY IN THREE ACTS BY W. SOMERSET MAUGHAM NEW YORK GEORGE H. DORAN COMPANY COPYRIGHT, 1921, BY GEORGE H. DORAN COMPANY _All applications regarding the Performance Rights of this play should be addressed to The American Play Company, 33 West 42nd Street, New York._ PRINTED IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA PERSONS OF THE PLAY CLIVE CHAMPION-CHENEY ARNOLD CHAMPION-CHENEY, M.P. LORD PORTEOUS EDWARD LUTON LADY CATHERINE CHAMPION-CHENEY ELIZABETH MRS. SHENSTONE. _The action takes place at Aston-Adey, Arnold Champion-Cheney's house in Dorset._ THE CIRCLE THE FIRST ACT _The Scene is a stately drawing-room at Aston-Adey, with fine pictures on the walls and Georgian furniture. Aston-Adey has been described, with many illustrations, in Country Life. It is not a house, but a place. Its owner takes a great pride in it, and there is nothing in the room which is not of the period. Through the French windows at the back can be seen the beautiful gardens which are one of the features._ _It is a fine summer morning._ _ARNOLD comes in. He is a man of about thirty-five, tall and good-looking, fair, with a clean-cut, sensitive face. He has a look that is intellectual, but somewhat bloodless. He is very well dressed._ ARNOLD. [_Calling._] Elizabeth! [_He goes to the window and calls again._] Elizabeth! [_He rings the bell. While he is waiting he gives a look round the room. He slightly alters the position of one of the chairs. He takes an ornament from the chimney-piece and blows the dust from it._] [_A FOOTMAN comes in._ Oh, George! see if you can find Mrs. Cheney, and ask her if she'd be good enough to come here. FOOTMAN. Very good, sir. [_The FOOTMAN turns to go._ ARNOLD. Who is supposed to look after this room? FOOTMAN. I don't know, sir. ARNOLD. I wish when they dust they'd take care to replace the things exactly as they were before. FOOTMAN. Yes, sir. ARNOLD. [_Dismissing him._] All right. [_The FOOTMAN goes out. He goes again to the window and calls._ ARNOLD. Elizabeth! [_He sees MRS. SHENSTONE._] Oh, Anna, do you know where Elizabeth is? [_MRS. SHENSTONE comes in from the garden. She is a woman of forty, pleasant and of elegant appearance._ ANNA. Isn't she playing tennis? ARNOLD. No, I've been down to the tennis court. Something very tiresome has happened. ANNA. Oh? ARNOLD. I wonder where the deuce she is. ANNA. When do you expect Lord Porteous and Lady Kitty? ARNOLD. They're motoring down in time for luncheon.