of writing of it？ ＇She points out unto the moonlight＇ What do we
get out of life？ Money； fame； fashion； talk； learning？ Yes。 And
what good are they？ I want to live！
PROF。 ＇Helplessly＇ My dear； I really don't know what you mean。
WIFE。 ＇Pointing out into the moonlight＇ Look！ Orpheus with his
lute； and nobody can see him。 Beauty； beauty； beautywe let it go。
＇With sudden passion＇ Beauty； love； the spring。 They should be in
us； and they're all outside。
PROF。 My dear； this isthis isawful。 ＇He tries to embrace her。＇
WIFE。 ＇Avoiding himan a stilly voice＇ Oh！ Go on with your
writing！
PROF。 I'mI'm upset。 I've never known you soso
WIFE。 Hysterical？ Well！ It's over。 I'll go and sing。
PROF。 ＇Soothingly＇ There； there！ I'm sorry； darling； I really am。
You're kippedyou're kipped。 ＇He gives and she accepts a kiss＇
Better？
＇He gravitates towards his papers。＇
All right； now？
WIFE。 ＇Standing still and looking at him＇ Quite！
PROF。 Well； I'll try and finish this to…night； then； to…morrow we
might have a jaunt。 How about a theatre？ There's a thingthey say…
…called 〃Chinese Chops；〃 that's been running years。
WIFE。 ＇Softly to herself as he settles down into his chair＇ Oh！
God！
＇While he takes up a sheet of paper and adjusts himself； she
stands at the window staring with all her might at the boulder；
till from behind it the faun's head and shoulders emerge once
more。＇
PROF。 Very queer the power suggestion has over the mind。 Very
queer！ There's nothing really in animism； you know； except the
curious shapes rocks； trees and things take in certain lightseffect
they have on our imagination。 ＇He looks up＇ What's the matter now？
WIFE。 ＇Startled＇ Nothing！ Nothing！
＇Her eyes waver to him again； and the FAUN vanishes。 She turns
again to look at the boulder； there is nothing there； a little
shiver of wind blows some petals off the trees。 She catches one
of them； and turning quickly； goes out through the curtain。
PROF。 ＇Coming to himself and writing＇ 〃The Orpheus legend is the
erapotheosis of animism。 Can we accept〃 ＇His voice is lost in
the sound of his WIFE'S voice beginning again： 〃Orpheus with his
lutewith his lute made trees〃 It dies in a sob。 The PROFESSOR
looks up startled； as the curtain falls＇。
FRUST。 Fine！ Fine！
VANE。 Take up the curtain。 Mr Foreson？
＇The curtain goes up。＇
FORESON。 Sir？
VANE。 Everybody on。
＇He and FRUST leave their seats and ascend on to the Stage； on
which are collecting the four Players。＇
VANE。 Give us some light。
FORESON。 Electrics！ Turn up your floats！
＇The footlights go up； and the blue goes out； the light is crude
as at the beginning。＇
FRUST。 I'd like to meet Miss Hellgrove。 ＇She comes forward eagerly
and timidly。 He grasps her hand＇ Miss Hellgrove； I want to say I
thought that finefine。 ＇Her evident emotion and pleasure warm him
so that he increases his grasp and commendation＇ Fine。 It quite got
my soft spots。 Emotional。 Fine！
MISS H。 Oh！ Mr Frust； it means so much to me。 Thank you！
FRUST。 ＇A little balder in the eye； and losing warmth＇ Erfine！
＇His eye wanders＇ Where's Mr Flatway？
VANE。 Fleetway。
＇FLEETWAY comes up。＇
FRUST。 Mr Fleetway； I want to say I thought your Orphoos very
remarkable。 Fine。
FLEETWAY。 Thank you； sir； indeedso glad you liked it。
FRUST。 ＇A little balder in the eye＇ There wasn't much to it； but
what there was was fine。 Mr Toone。
＇FLEETWAY melts out and TOONE is precipitated。＇
Mr Toone； I was very pleased with your Professorquite a character…
study。 ＇TOONE bows and murmurs＇ Yes； sir！ I thought it fine。 ＇His
eye grows bald＇ Who plays the goat？
MISS HOPK。 ＇Appearing suddenly between the windows＇ I play the
faun； Mr Frost。
FORESON。 ＇Introducing＇ Miss Maude 'Opkins。
FRUST。 Miss Hopkins； I guess your fawn was fine。
MISS HOPK。 Oh！ Thank you； Mr Frost。 How nice of you to say so。 I
do so enjoy playing him。
FRUST。 ＇His eye growing bald＇ Mr Foreson； I thought the way you
fixed that tree was very cunning； I certainly did。 Got a match？
＇He takes a match from FORESON； and lighting a very long cigar；
walks up Stage through the French windows followed by FORESON；
and examines the apple…tree。＇
＇The two Actors depart； but Miss HELLGROVE runs from where she
has been lingering； by the curtain； to VANE； Stage Right。＇
MISS H。 Oh！ Mr Vanedo you think？ He seemed quiteOh！ Mr Vane
＇ecstatically＇ If only
VANE。 ＇Pleased and happy＇ Yes； yes。 All rightyou were splendid。
He liked it。 He quite
MISS H。 ＇Clasping her hand＇ How wonderful Oh； Mr Vane； thank you！
＇She clasps his hands； but suddenly； seeing that FRUST is coming
back； fits across into the curtain and vanishes。＇
＇The Stage； in the crude light； as empty now save for FRUST；
who； in the French windows； Centre； is mumbling his cigar； and
VANE； Stage Right； who is looking up into the wings； Stage
Left。＇
VANE。 ＇Calling up＇ That lighting's just right now； Miller。 Got it
marked carefully？
ELECTRICS。 Yes； Mr Vane。
VANE。 Good。 ＇To FRUST who as coming down＇ Well； sir？ So glad
FRUST。 Mr Vane； we got little Miggs on contract？
VANE。 Yes。
FRUST。 Well； I liked that little pocket piece fine。 But I'm blamed
if I know what it's all about。
VANE。 ＇A little staggered＇ Why！ Of course it's a little allegory。
The tragedy of civilizationall real feeling for Beauty and Nature
kept out； or pent up even in the cultured。
FRUST。 Ye…ep。 ＇Meditatively＇ Little Miggs'd be fine in 〃Pop goes
the Weasel。〃
VANE。 Yes； he'd be all right； but
FRUST。 Get him on the 'phone； and put it into rehearsal right now。
VANE。 What！ But this pieceII！
FRUST。 Guess we can't take liberties with our public； Mr Vane。 They
want pep。
VANE。 ＇Distressed＇ But it'll break that girl's heart。 IreallyI
can't
FRUST。 Give her the part of the 'tweeny in 〃Pop goes。
VANE。 Mr Frust； II beg。 I've taken a lot of trouble with this
little play。 It's good。 It's that girl's chanceand I
FRUST。 We…ell！ I certainly thought she was fine。 Now； you 'phone
up Miggs； and get right along with it。 I've only one rule； sir！
Give the Public what it wants； and what the Public wants is punch and
go。 They've got no use for Beauty； Allegory； all that high…brow
racket。 I know 'em as I know my hand。
＇During this speech MISS HELLGROVE is seen listening by the
French window； in distress； unnoticed by either of them。＇
VANE。 Mr Frost； the Public would take this； I'm sure they would； I'm
convinced of it。 You underrate them。
FRUST。 Now； see here； Mr Blewitt Vane； is this my theatre？ I tell
you； I can't afford luxuries。
VANE。 But itit moved you； sir； I saw it。 I was watching。
FRUST。 ＇With unmoved finality＇ Mr Vane； I judge I'm not the average
man。 Before 〃Louisa Loses〃 the Public'll want a stimulant。 〃Pop
goes the Weasel〃 will suit us fine。 Soget right along with it。
I'll go get some lunch。
＇As he vanishes into the wings； Left； MISS HELLGROVE covers her
face with her hands。 A little sob escaping her attracts VANE'S
attention。 He takes a step towards her； but she flies。＇
VANE。 ＇Dashing his hands through his hair till it stands up＇
Damnation！
＇FORESON walks on from the wings； Right。＇
FORESON。 Sir？
VANE。 〃Punch and go！〃 That superstition！
＇FORESON walks straight out into the wings； Left。＇
VANE。 Mr Foreson！
FORESON。 ＇Re…appearing＇ Sir？
VANE。 This is scrapped。 ＇With savagery＇ Tell 'em to set the first
act of 〃Louisa Loses；〃 and put some pep into it。
＇He goes out through the French windows with the wind still in
his hair。＇
FORESON。 ＇In the centre of the Stage＇ Electrics！
ELECTRICS。 Hallo！
FORESON。 Where's Charlie？
ELECTRICS。 Gone to his dinner。
FORESON。 Anybody on the curtain？
A VOICE。 Yes； Mr Foreson。
FORESON。 Put your curtain down。
＇He stands in the centre of the Stage with eyes uplifted as the
curtain descends。＇
End