SHEFFIELD--[Mollifyingly--with a judicial air.] Come now! This is all
only suspicion. There is no evidence; you have no case; and the
defendant is innocent until you have proved her guilty, remember.
[Getting to his feet.] Well, let's break up. Esther, you and I ought to
be getting home. [They all rise.]
JAYSON--[Testily.] Well, if I were sure it would all blow over without
any open scandal, I'd offer up a prayer of thanks. [The Curtain Falls]
ACT II
SCENE--CURTIS JAYSON'S study. On the left, forward, a gun rack in which
are displayed several varieties of rifles and shotguns. Farther back,
three windows looking out on the garden. In the rear wall, an open
fireplace with two leather arm-chairs in front of it. To right of
fireplace, a door leading into the living-room. In the far right
corner, another chair. In the right wall, three windows looking out on
the lawn and garden. On this side, front, a typewriting table with
machine and chair. Opposite the windows on the right, a bulky leather
couch, facing front. In front of the windows on the left, a long table
with stacks of paper piled here and there on it, reference books, etc.
On the left of table, a swivel chair. Gray oak bookcases are built into
the cream rough plaster walls which are otherwise almost hidden from
view by a collection of all sorts of hunter's trophies, animal heads of
all kinds. The floor is covered with animal skins--tiger, polar bear,
leopard, lion, etc. Skins are also thrown over the backs of the chairs.
The sections of the bookcase not occupied by scientific volumes have
been turned into a specimen case for all sorts of zoological,
geological, anthropological oddities.
It is mid-morning, sunny and bright, of the following day.
CURTIS and BIGELOW are discovered. CURTIS is half-sitting on the corner
of the table, left, smoking a pipe. BIGELOW is lying sprawled on the
couch. Through the open windows on the right come the shouts of
children playing. MARTHA's voice joins in with theirs.
BIGELOW--Listen to that rumpus, will you! The kids are having the time
of their lives. [He goes to the window and looks out--delightedly.]
Your wife is playing hide and seek with them. Come and look.
CURTIS--[With a trace of annoyance.] Oh, I can see well enough from
here.
BIGELOW--[With a laugh.] She seems to get as much fun out of it as they
do. [As a shriek comes from outside--excitedly.] Ah, Eddy discovered
her behind the tree. Isn't he tickled now! [He turns back from the
window and lights a cigarette--enthusiastically.] Jove, what a hand she
is with children!
CURTIS--[As if the subject bored him.] Oh, Martha gets along well with
anyone.
BIGELOW--[Sits on the couch again--with a sceptical smile.] You think
so? With everyone?
CURTIS--[Surprised.] Yes--with everyone we've ever come in contact
with--even aboriginal natives.
BIGELOW--With the aboriginal natives of Bridgetown? With the well-known
Jayson family, for example?
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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