Three Lancashire Plays: The Game; The Northerners; ZackBrighouse, Harold
General
Three Lancashire Plays: The Game; The Northerners; Zack
Brighouse, Harold
English drama -- 20th century; Lancashire (England) -- Drama; Political plays
Paul. I think I'll send some more accounts out, mother. They might fetch
other people's money in like Mr. Abbott's.
Virginia. Oh yes. I'm in your way here.
Mrs. Munning. And you're not. You're never in the way.
Paul. As if I'd mean a thing like that to you, Virginia.
Virginia. But I was just going, aunt. I've something upstairs that I
want to bring for Zack.
Mrs. Munning. Zack?
Virginia. You'd forgotten it's his birthday.
(_Paul sits at the table._)
Mrs. Munning. No, I hadn't, Jenny. Mothers don't forget a thing like
that. But I'd not seen cause to mention it.
Virginia. I'll get Zack's present. (_She opens door._) By the way,
wasn't it at Mr. Abbott's wedding that Zack began to go again?
Mrs. Munning. I fancy it was.
Virginia. And he's been going to the others since?
Mrs. Munning. Yes. But he's still on trial. Why, Jenny?
Virginia. I only wondered.
(_Exit Virginia._)
Paul. Get on with your work, Zack.
Zack. Yes, Paul. (_He turns the handle once or twice, and is then
occupied testing the result._)
Mrs. Munning. Come here a minute, Paul. You're not that busy.
Paul. I'm not busy at all. I just made a show of it before Virginia. A
good thing she heard him talk like that.
Mrs. Munning. I'll tell you something better for the business than Mr.
Abbott's talk.
Paul. If you'll tell me what it is that makes people say one thing of
us one week and change their minds the next, you'll be doing me a good
turn.
Mrs. Munning. I'll do you a better turn. I'd a chat with Virginia in her
room last night.
Paul. I heard your voices going late. You kept me awake.
Mrs. Munning. Well, it was worth it, Paul. I knew they were well off,
but there's more than I thought. The girl's got money of her own besides
her mother's.
(_Zack turns the handle._)
Paul. Some folk get all the luck.
Mrs. Munning. Well?
Paul. Well what?
Mrs. Munning. Don't you take me, Paul?
(_Zack works the machine. Mrs. Munning turns on him._)
Oh, will you hush your noise, Zack? Get away out of this while I talk to
Paul.
Zack (_going l._). Yes, mother.
Paul. Go round to Bealey's and ask him if those nails have come. Don't
be all day.
Zack. No, Paul. (_He turns to door and goes out._)
Mrs. Munning. Look here, Paul, you could do a lot to this business if
you had the capital. We could start a temperance hotel and give up the
joinery altogether. Zack could clean boots.
Paul. Aye. If----
Mrs. Munning. She's got it.
Paul. Well for her.
Mrs. Munning. You're not slow to see your interests as a rule.
Paul. Slow? I'd call it quick myself and very quick. I've known the girl
a fortnight.
Mrs. Munning. Oh, you do see what I'm driving at.
Paul. I saw it days ago.
Mrs. Munning. And anything the matter with it?
Paul. Only Virginia.
Mrs. Munning. What's wrong with her?
Paul. She don't show willing.
Mrs. Munning. Have you asked?
Paul. Asked? I haven't. It's not a thing to rush at, mother. I've to
look at every side before I take a leap like that.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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