Perkins. Another unseemly fracas. Another veil. B-r-r-r-r. (Drops
curtain.) There may be a hitch in the play, but there won't be in
this curtain. I tell you that right now. B-r-r-r-r.
[Raises curtain.
Mrs. Perkins. Well, I don't pretend to understand the difficulty.
She certainly does say that to Featherhead.
Barlow. Of course!--it's right there in the book.
Bradley. That's exactly what I say. It's in the book; but you would
come on.
Barlow. Well, why shouldn't I?
Enter Miss Andrews.
Miss Andrews. What seems to be the trouble?
Perkins. I give it up. Collision somewhere up the road.
Yardsley (turning over the leaves of the play-book). Oh, I see the
trouble--it's all right. Bradley is mixed up a little, that's all.
"Fenderson Featherhead" is his cue--but it comes later, Brad.
Bradley. Later? Well (glances in book)--no--it comes now,
Barlow. Are you blind? Can you read? See there! [Points into
book.
Yardsley. No--you keep still, Jack. I'll fix it. See here,
Bradley. This is the place you are thinking of. When Cobb says to
Lady Ellen "Fenderson Featherhead," you enter the room, and in a
nervous aside you mutter: "What, he! Does he again dare to cross my
path?" That's the way of it.
Barlow. Certainly--that's it, Brad. Now get off, and let me go on,
will you?
Mrs. Perkins. I'm sure it's a perfectly natural error, Mr. Bradley.
Mrs. Bradley. But he's right, my dear Bess. The others are wrong.
Edward doesn't--
Bradley. I don't care anything about it, but I'm sure I don't know
what else to do. If I am to play Fenderson--
Barlow (in amazement). You?
Yardsley (aghast). Fenderson? By all that is lovely, what part have
you learned?
Bradley. The one you told me to learn in your message--Featherhead,
of course.
Barlow. But that's my part!