_Fanny_
_Her Husband_, _Vernon Wetherell_, _Lord Bantock_
_Her Butler_, _Martin Bennet_
_Her Housekeeper_, _Susannah Bennet_
_Her Maid_, _Jane Bennet_
_Her Second Footman_, _Ernest Bennet_
_Her Still-room Maid_, _Honoria Bennet_
_Her Aunts by marriage_, _the Misses Wetherell_
_Her Local Medical Man_, _Dr. Freemantle_
_Her quondam Companions_, “_Our Empire_”:
_England_
_Scotland_
_Ireland_
_Wales_
_Canada_
_Australia_
_New Zealand_
_Africa_
_India_
_Newfoundland_
_Malay Archipelago_
_Straits Settlements_
_Her former Business Manager_, _George P. Newte_
_ACT I_
_SCENE_
_The Lady Bantock’s boudoir_, _Bantock Hall_, _Rutlandshire_, _a spacious
room handsomely furnished_ (_chiefly in the style of Louis the
Fourteenth_) _and lighted by three high windows_, _facing the
south-west_. _A door between the fireplace and the windows leads to his
lordship’s apartments_. _A door the other side of the fireplace is the
general entrance_. _The door opposite the windows leads through her
ladyship’s dressing-room into her ladyship’s bedroom_. _Over the great
fireplace hangs a full-length portrait of Constance_, _first Lady
Bantock_, _by Hoppner_.
_The time is sunset of a day in early spring_. _The youthful Lord
Bantock is expected home with his newly wedded wife this evening_; _and
the two Misses Wetherell_, _his aunts_, _have been busy decorating the
room with flowers_, _and are nearing the end of their labours_. _The two
Misses Wetherell have grown so much alike it would be difficult for a
stranger to tell one from the other_; _and to add to his confusion they
have fallen into the habit of dressing much alike in a fashion of their
own that went out long ago_, _while the hair of both is white_, _and even
in their voices they have caught each other’s tones_.
THE ELDER MISS WETHERELL [_she has paused from her work and is looking
out of the windows_]. Such a lovely sunset, dear.
THE YOUNGER MISS WETHERELL [_she leaves her work and joins her sister_.
_The two stand holding each other’s hands_, _looking out_]. Beautiful!
[_A silence_. _The sun is streaming full into the room_.] You—you don’t
think, dear, that this room—[_she looks round it_]—may possibly be a
little _too_ sunny to quite suit her?
THE ELDER MISS WETHERELL [_not at first understanding_]. How, dear,
_too_ sun—[_She grasps the meaning_.] You mean—you think that perhaps
she does that sort of thing?
THE YOUNGER MISS WETHERELL. Well, dear, one is always given to
understand that they do, women—ladies of her profession.
THE ELDER MISS WETHERELL. It seems to me so wicked: painting God’s work.
THE YOUNGER MISS WETHERELL. We mustn’t judge hardly, dear. Besides,
dear, we don’t know yet that she does.
THE ELDER MISS WETHERELL. Perhaps she’s young, and hasn’t commenced it.
I fancy it’s only the older ones that do it.
THE YOUNGER MISS WETHERELL. He didn’t mention her age, I remember.
THE ELDER MISS WETHERELL. No, dear, but I feel she’s young.
THE YOUNGER MISS WETHERELL. I do hope she is. We may be able to mould
her.
THE ELDER MISS WETHERELL. We must be very sympathetic. One can
accomplish so much with sympathy.
THE YOUNGER MISS WETHERELL. We must get to understand her. [_A sudden
thought_.] Perhaps, dear, we may get to like her.
THE ELDER MISS WETHERELL [_doubtful_]. We might _try_, dear.
THE YOUNGER MISS WETHERELL. For Vernon’s sake. The poor boy seems so
much in love with her. We must—
_Bennet has entered_. _He is the butler_.
BENNET. Doctor Freemantle. I have shown him into the library.
THE YOUNGER MISS WETHERELL. Thank you, Bennet. Will you please tell him
that we shall be down in a few minutes? I must just finish these
flowers. [_She returns to the table_.]
THE ELDER MISS WETHERELL. Why not ask him to come up here? We could
consult him—about the room. He always knows everything.
THE YOUNGER MISS WETHERELL. A good idea. Please ask him, Bennet, if he
would mind coming up to us here. [_Bennet_, _who has been piling up
fresh logs upon the fire_, _turns to go_.] Oh, Bennet! You will remind
Charles to put a footwarmer in the carriage!