Six Plays by Lady Florence Henrietta Fisher Darwin Part 74

ACT II.--Scene 2.

ANNIE. [As STEVE takes off her cloak.] 'Tis going to be a dreadful night. The snow's coming down something cruel.

ROSE. There won't be many to the dance if it keeps on like this, will there?

STEVE. Get you to the fire, both of you, and warm yourselves before we sets out again.

DORRY. Miss Sims, Miss Sims--Miss Rosie--I'm going along with you to the dance, Dad says as I may.

JANE. Bless the child! However her has worked upon her father, and he so strict, I don't know.

ANNIE. Well, you be got up fine and grand, Dorry--I shouldn't hardly know 'twas you. [Turning to VASHTI REED.] Good evening, Mrs. Reed, my eyes was very near blinded when I first got in out of the dark, and I didn't see as you was there.

ROSE. Good evening, Mrs. Reed, and how be you keeping this cold weather?

VASHTI. [Peering into their faces as they stand near her.] What be you a-telling I of?

ANNIE. We was saying, how be you in this sharp weather, Mrs. Reed?

VASHTI. How be I?

ROSE. Yes, Mrs. Reed, how be you a-keeping now 'tis come over such nasty weather?

VASHTI. And how should an old woman be, and her one child out in the rain and all the wind, and driv' there too by them as was laid like snakes in the gra.s.s about the feet of she, ready for to overthrow she when her should have gotten to a time of weakness.

JANE. Take no account of what she do say, girls, but sit you down in the warm and bide till I gets the time to take and look on the clothes which you have upon you. [Moving about and putting tea things on the table.] I be but just a-going to make a cup of tea for th' old woman, with a drop of summat strong to it as will keep her from using of her tongue so free till morning time.

ANNIE. [Sitting down.] Poor old woman, 'tis a sad thing when folks do come to such a pa.s.s as she.

ROSE. And han't got their proper sense to them, nor nothing. But she's better off nor a poor creature what we saw crouching below the hedge as we was coming across the meadow. "Why," I says to Annie, "it must be bad to have no home to bide in such a night as this!"

Isn't that so, Mrs. Browning?

STEVE. Ah, you're right there, you're right.

ROSE. I wouldn't much care to be upon the road to-night, would you, Steve?

VASHTI. And at that hour when th' old year be pa.s.sing out, and dark on all the land, the graves shall open and give up the dead which be in they. And, standing in the churchyard you may read the face to each, as the corpses do go by. There's many a night as I have stood and have looked into they when them did draw near to I, but never the face I did seek.

[Here JANE, who has been making a cup of tea, and who has poured something in it from a bottle, advances to VASHTI.

JANE. Here, Vashti Reed, here's a nice cup of hot tea for you. Take and drink it up and very likely 'twill warm th' inside of you, for I'll lay as you haven't seen a mouthful of naught this day.

STEVE. Ah, that's it, that's it. When folks do go leer 'tis a powerful lot of fancies as do get from the stomach to the heads of they.

[VASHTI takes the cup and slowly drinks.

DORRY. O, Miss Sims, you do look nice. Look, Gran'ma, at what Miss Sims have got on!

VASHTI. [Putting down her cup and leaning forward.] Which of you be clothed for marriage?

JANE. Get along of you, Gran, 'tis for the dance up at the school as they be come.

VASHTI. Come you here--her what's to wed our Steve. Come you here and let I look at you. My eyes bain't so quick as they was once.

Many tears have clouded they. But come you here.

DORRY. Go along to her, Miss Sims, Granny wants to look at your nice things.

ANNIE. [Steps in front of VASHTI.] Here I be, Mrs. Reed.

VASHTI. Be you the one what's going to wed our Steve come New Year.

ANNIE. That's it, Mrs. Reed, that's it.

VASHTI. And be these garments which you be clothed in for marriage or for burial?

STEVE. Come, Granny, have another cup of tea. Annie, don't you take no account of she. 'Tis worry and that as have caused the mind of she to wander a bit, but she don't mean nothing by it.

ANNIE. All right, Steve. She don't trouble me at all. [To VASHTI.]

'Tis to be hoped as I shall make a good wife to Steve, Mrs. Reed.

VASHTI. Steve! What do Steve want with another wife? Han't he got one already which is as a rose among the sow-thistles. What do Steve want for with a new one then?

STEVE. Come on, girls. I can't stand no more of this. Let's off, and call in to George's as we do go by.

ROSE. We did meet Mr. Davis as we was coming along and he said as how 'twouldn't be many minutes afore he joined us here, Steve.

STEVE. That's right, then we'll bide a bit longer till George do call for we, only 'tis more nor I can stand when th' old lady gets her tongue moving.

DORRY. Why, look, Gran's fell asleep! O, Miss Sims, now that Gran's dropped off and can't say none of her foolish things any more, do stand so as Dad and Gran'ma can see the frock which you've got for the dance.

ANNIE. O, Dorry, you're a little torment, that's the truth.

[She gets up and turns slowly round so that all can see what she has on.

ROSE. Well, Steve?

STEVE. Well, Rosie.

ROSE. Haven't you got nothing as you can say, Steve?

STEVE. What be I to say, Rose?

ROSE. Well, something of how you thinks she looks, of course.

STEVE. O, 'tis all right, I suppose.