me mad! Oh, what must I do? What must I do? Is there no way, Varvára? [Tap of drums without.] [To Sasha.] Go! go! go quickly, or worse will befall you.
Sasha. I will not go and starve while you have all this money.
Pras. Ah! Since you will have it so.... It is you, not I! [Running out at the door and calling.] Patrol! Patrol!
Fomá. Stop her.
Var. Oh, Hóspodi!
Pras. Help! Help! Come here!
Fomá. What have you done? What have you done?
[Enter Corporal and Soldiers.]
Pras. This man is a thief and a murderer. He is a convict escaped from Siberia. He has no passport.
Corp. Is that true? Where is your passport?
Sasha. I have none.
Corp. We are looking for such men as you. Come!
Sasha. This woman is my mother.
Corp. That's her affair. You have no passport; that is enough for me. You'll soon be back on the road to the North with the rest of them.
Sasha. Woman! woman! Have pity on your son.
Corp. Come along, lad, and leave the old woman in peace.
[Exit Sasha in custody.]
Pras. The Lord help me!
[Praskóvya stumbles towards the eikons and sinks blindly before them.]
Fomá [looking after Sasha]. Poor devil!
Astéryi. What's a man compared to an idea?
[Praskóvya rolls over, dead.]
[Curtain.]
MARY'S WEDDING
A Play
By Gilbert Cannan
Copyright, 1913, by Sidgwick and Jackson.
All rights reserved.
Mary's Wedding was first produced at the Coronet Theatre, in May, 1912, with the following cast:
| Mary | Miss Irene Rooke |
| Tom | Mr. Herbert Lomas |
| Ann | Miss Mary Goulden |
| Mrs. Airey | Miss Muriel Pratt |
| Bill Airey | Mr. Charles Bibby |
| Two Maids. | |
| Villagers and Others. |
Scene: The Davis's Cottage.
Note: There is no attempt made in the play to reproduce exactly the Westmoreland dialect, which would be unintelligible to ears coming new to it, but only to catch the rough music of it and the slow inflection of northern voices.
Reprinted from "Four Plays," by permission of Mr. Gilbert Cannan.
MARY'S WEDDING
A Play
By Gilbert Cannan
[The scene is the living-room in the Davis's cottage in the hill country. An old room low in the ceiling. Ann Davis is at the table in the center of the room untying a parcel. The door opens to admit Tom Davis, a sturdy quarryman dressed in his best and wearing a large nosegay.]
Ann. Well, 'ast seed un?
Tom. Ay, a seed un. 'Im and 'is ugly face—
Ann [untying her parcel].'Tis 'er dress come just in time an' no more from the maker-up—
Tom. Ef she wouldna do it....
Ann. But 'tis such long years she's been a-waitin'.... 'Tis long years since she bought t' dress.
Tom. An' 'tis long years she'll be a livin' wi' what she's been waitin' for; 'tis long years she'll live to think ower it and watch the thing she's taken for her man, an' long years that she'll find 'un feedin' on 'er, an' a dreary round she'll 'ave of et....
Ann. Three times she 'ave come to a month of weddin' an' three times 'e 'ave broke loose and gone down to the Mortal Man an' the woman that keeps 'arf our men in drink.... 'Tis she is the wicked one, giving 'em score an' score again 'till they owe more than they can ever pay with a year's money.
Tom. 'Tis a fearful thing to drink....
Ann. So I telled 'er in the beginnin' of it all, knowin' what like of man 'e was. An' so I telled 'er last night only.
Tom. She be set on it?
Ann. An', an' 'ere's t' pretty dress for 'er to be wedded in....
Tom. What did she say?
Ann. Twice she 'ave broke wi' 'im, and twice she 'ave said that ef 'e never touched the drink fur six months she would go to be churched wi' 'im. She never 'ave looked at another man.
Tom. Ay, she be one o' they quiet ones that goes about their work an' never 'as no romantical notions but love only the more for et. There've been men come for 'er that are twice the man that Bill is, but she never looks up from 'er work at 'em.
Ann. I think she must 'a' growed up lovin' Bill. 'Tis a set thing surely.
Tom. An' when that woman 'ad 'im again an' 'ad 'im roaring drunk fur a week, she never said owt but turned to 'er work agin an' set aside the things she was makin' agin the weddin'....
Ann. What did 'e say to 'er?
Tom. Nowt. 'E be 'most as chary o' words as she. 'E've got the 'ouse an' everything snug, and while 'e works 'e makes good money.
Ann. 'Twill not end, surely.
Tom. There was
